- What is meant by the term “aeolian processes”?
Aeolian processes describe how the action of wind can shape the landscape.
- What two conditions lead to increased vulnerability to wind erosion?
Limited precipitation and little vegetation are conditions that lead to an increased vulnerability to wind erosion.
- How does the aeolian process of deflation work?
Deflation is the process whereby wind blows across loose sediment and picks up and transports lighter particles.
- Why is windblown sand an effective agent of wind erosion?
Windblown sand is quite effective at erosion because it consists primarily of quartz particles. Quartz is a very hard mineral, and is very effective in eroding softer rock.
- How does a dune form?
A dune forms when windblown sediment begins to deposit as the wind slows down when it hits an obstacle like a rock. Over time, the sediment will accumulate forming a longer slope on the surface facing the wind, and a steeper slope on the side away from the wind.
- How are loess deposits produced?
Loess deposits are produced when windblown materials settle into thick layers of sediment.