wind action and how different features in a desert are formed

Ventifacts

Faceted cobbles and pebbles that have been abraded and shaped by wind-blown sediment.

Pedestal Rocks

Also known as mushroom rocks, formed from aeolian abrasion, they have a wider base and a narrower top, resembling a mushroom.

Sand Dunes

Accumulations of sand that build into mounds and ridges, forming due to wind action.

Barchan Dunes

Crescent-shaped dunes formed in isolation where there is a limited supply of sand and a dominant wind direction.

Seif Dunes

Elongated, linear sand dunes formed by two dominant winds blowing in different directions.

Canyons

Deep gorges, generally with a river running through them, formed over millions of years by hydraulic action.

Wadis

Channels that were once part of a perennial drainage system and now receive run-off after torrential storms.

Plateaus

Flat-topped, elevated landforms, often formed by tectonic and volcanic processes.

Mesas and Buttes

Flat-topped hills with steep sides; mesas are wider than they are tall while buttes are taller than they are wide.

Pediments

Gentle erosional surfaces formed at the base of a steep slope or cliff, typically covered by alluvium.

Inselbergs

Isolated mountains that rise abruptly from desert landscapes, often formed from granite intrusions or sandstone deposits.