The accumulation of windblown sand into mounds and ridges as moving air loses velocity around an obstacle or as sand grains saltate and settle, building characteristic shapes such as barchans, transverse and star dunes according to wind direction, sand supply and vegetation cover. It shapes both desert interiors and coastal sand systems worldwide.
Facts
Partially Attested
Process TypeThe source describes dunes as wind- or water-driven sand landforms; no listed value names aeolian processes, so geomorphological is the closest. Timescale
Timescale (category) Connections
Associated With
Caused By
Shaped
Source Rub' al Khali (Wikipedia)
Source Simpson Desert (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Dune (Wikipedia)
- Wikipedia infobox 'Lead section' = 'A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typ...' on 'Dune'
Shaped: Dune, Lead
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand.
Shaped: Star Dune, Formation statement for target 287619
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand.
Shaped: Transverse Dune, Formation statement for target 287619
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand.
Shaped: Parabolic Dune, Formation statement for target 287619
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand.
View the Source2. Dune (Wikipedia)
Lead paragraphQuote, Lead paragraph
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand.
Simpson Desert (Wikipedia)
Shaped: Simpson Desert, LeadQuote, Shaped: Simpson Desert, Lead
The Simpson Desert is an erg that contains the world's longest parallel sand dunes.
Rub' al Khali (Wikipedia)
Shaped: Rub' al Khali, Formation statement for target 287619Quote, Shaped: Rub' al Khali, Formation statement for target 287619
Most of the terrain is ergs, with sand dunes up to 250 metres (820 ft) high, interspersed with gravel and gypsum plains.
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