Exploring Wind-Formed Landforms: from Deserts to Coastal Regions
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Presentation Transcript
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