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• 1930s
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!