Depositional Features of Wind Action

The final step in the geological cycle of the effects of wind action is deposition. Sand particles that have been eroded and are carried by the winds must eventually come to a place of rest. Fine sand particles are carried long distances by the wind before they are deposited; they may even be deposited outside the desert. As the wind loses its energyEnergy is the ability to do work. Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, potential energy, and electrical energy. Units of Energy: The SI unit... More or encounters obstacles, sand particles (or regolith) in the wind are deposited.

Note: Regolith is a general term used for unconsolidated, weathered, broken rock debris, mineral grains, and superficial deposits that overlie the unaltered bedrock.

Because there is no water to bind loose particles together, small swirling winds in the desert, called eddies , bounce grains of sand along the surface, forming gentle ripples . These ripples are small sand features, usually only a few centimetres high. Over time, continued wind action can build larger features called dunes.

The deposition of the sand particles in the wind leads to the formation of various landforms, such as;

1. Dunes:

A Sand Dune is a mound, ridge or hill made of loose sand grains piled up and