Sand-moving winds blowing from a constant direction in an area of high sand availability form transverse dunes, which have a fixed profile in the direction orthogonal to the wind. Here we show, by means of a linear stability analysis, that transverse dunes are intrinsically unstable. Any along-axis perturbation on a transverse dune amplify in the course of dune migration due to the combined eff...

Sand fields develop different patterns, such as sandbars, sand ridges, sand ripples, sand dunes, and river dunes. These vary in shape from crescent to ridge-like patterns. They are formed in areas such as deserts, lakes and seashores, where winds or fluid flows are strong and tend to blow from one direction or oscillate. There is a great deal of order in these patterns: perhaps a simple model c...

this study aimed to evaluate the potential of image ratioing techniques to detect and map the extent and particle composition of sand dunes in the erg of gavkhouni in isfahan province. the 6/4 ratio index and also a new index called sadi which was calculated using landsat band 3, 6 and 7 were applied to a georeferenced landsat tm image. to evaluate the performance of ratio techniques, the extra...

Introduction: The shapes produced on terrestrial surfaces that are continually subject to aeolian processes range in size from tiny ripples to giant draa [1]. The physical mechanism of the formation of ripples, the smallest of aeolian bedforms, is intimately related to saltation and reptation processes. Sand and granule ripples are typically tens of reptation path lengths wide and do not alter ...

Located just north of the Arctic Circle, the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes (GKSD) are an inland dune field that is closely surrounded by boreal forest. The history of the GKSD tells us about changes in aridity, a climatic parameter whose history is poorly understood at high latitudes. Vegetated dunes in several states of geomorphic preservation surround the active dune field today, evidencing a comple...

Germination cues reflect the conditions under which a species is likely to succeed in recruitment. Therefore, knowledge of the seed germination characteristics of key plant species in desertified areas is essential for restoration. The aims of this study were to evaluate the seed germination responses of seven native species, and to explore the implications for vegetation restoration. Seeds of ...

The study of dune morphology represents a valuable tool in the investigation of planetary wind systems--the primary factor controlling the dune shape is the wind directionality. However, our understanding of dune formation is still limited to the simplest situation of unidirectional winds: There is no model that solves the equations of sand transport under the most common situation of seasonall...

Within areas of the Chihuahuan Desert dominated by honey mesquite bushes (Prosopis glandulosa), soil erosion causes open eroded patches and the formation of large coppice dunes. The airflow patterns around the dunes and through the open areas are correlated with sand flux and erosion. This study uses wind velocity simulations from the Quick Urban and Industrial Complex (QUIC) model in combinati...

This study represents the first characterization of sand microbiota in migrating barchan sand dunes. Bacterial communities were studied through direct counts and cultivation, as well as 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic sequence analysis to gain an understanding of microbial abundance, diversity, and potential metabolic capabilities. Direct on-grain cell counts gave an average of 5.3 ± 0.4 x 105 ce...

Relations of landform types to wind regimes, bedrock composition, sediment supply, and topography are shown by field studies and satellite photographs of the Western Desert of Egypt. This desert, which lies at the core of the largest hyperarid region on earth, provides analogs of Martian wind-formed features. These include sand dunes, alternating light and dark streaks, knob 'shadows,' and yard...