Aeolian Landforms

AEOLIAN LANDFORMS * Aeolian landforms (also spelled as eolian or æolian) are features of the Earth's surface produced by either the erosive or constructive action of the wind. * This process is not unique to earth, and it has been observed and studied on other planets, including Mars. * The word derives from Æolus, the Greek god of the winds, and the son of Hellen and the nymph Orseis. * Aeolian processes pertain to wind activity in the study of geology and weather, and specifically to the wind's ability to shape the surface of the Earth (or other planets). Winds may erode, transport, and deposit materials, and are effective agents in regions with sparse vegetation and a large supply of unconsolidated sediments. Although water is a much more powerful eroding force than wind, aeolian processes are important in arid environments such as deserts. * Aeolian landform formed by materials by wind. By the Process of Erosion and Deposotion * Aeolian landform deposits particles of Sediment, Sand, Silt and Clay * Landforms are the surface types of the earth they are categorized by Natural, Physical and Human activities. * They are created by the actions of various forces of nature such as wind, water and ice * Landform creating actions are Erosional process, Depositional process and Movement of the earth's tectonic plates
Types of Aeolian landforms : 1. Barchan (also spelled Barkhan)

* A barchan (barkhan dune) is an arc-shaped (crescent-shaped) sand ridge.

* produced by the action of wind predominately from one direction. * These dunes migrates 100m per year. * Barchans may be 9m -30m high and 370 m wide at the base perpendicular to the wind. * Barchans are characteristic of open, inland desert regions such as Turkistan, where the name originated. The Russian naturalist Alexander von Middendorf is credited with introducing the word into scientific literature in 1881.