Loess Deposition

The accumulation of fine, wind-blown silt into thick, often unstratified deposits, chiefly sourced from glacial outwash plains, deserts and other unvegetated surfaces where strong winds can pick up abundant fine sediment. Loess deposits form some of the most fertile agricultural soils in the world, including the Loess Plateau of northern China and parts of the Mississippi and Danube river valleys, though their loosely packed structure also makes them prone to collapse and severe gully erosion once disturbed.