Wind Landforms Where are they commonly found deserts

Wind Landforms • Where are they commonly found? – deserts & semi-arid environments – coastal areas

Wind Landforms • wind erosion – deflation • particles lifted in air or bounce along ground • ex. desert pavement • ex. depressions in sand dunes

Wind Landforms • wind erosion, cont. – wind abrasion • impact by wind-blown particles • ex. natural arches

Wind Transportation • larger-sized particles – tend to bounce along ground • smaller-sized particles – tend to be air-borne

Wind Transportation • dust storm – strong winds – arid locations, severe drought, or fallow fields – The Dust Bowl • 1930 s

Wind as a Source of Energy • requirements – moderate to strong speeds – consistent

Wind Deposition • loess – large deposits of wind-blown silt – ex. Palouse Hills (WA, ID); Tunica Hills (LA, MS) • dunes – composed of sand

Types of Sand Dunes • barchan – crescent-shaped; points downwind – arid areas with limited sand supply

Types of Sand Dunes, cont. • Transverse (barchanoid) – like barchan, but quite numerous • wave-like patterns – ample sand supply

Types of Sand Dunes, cont. • longitudinal – ridges & furrows run parallel with prevailing winds

Types of Sand Dunes, cont. • Erosional Example • parabolic – crescent-shaped; points upwind – blowout due to deflation

Types of Sand Dunes, cont. • foredunes – irregularly shaped hills & depressions – complex of erosional & depositional features – usually coastal

Finito!