SSHS Physical Geology - Deserts
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Created by:
ac7od Plus on January 16, 2012
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SSHS Physical Geology - Deserts
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21 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Bajada | A broad, gently sloping, depositional surface formed at the base of a mountain range in a dry region by the coalescing of individual alluvial fans. |
| barchan | A crescent-shaped dune with the horns of the crescent pointing downwind. |
| blowout | A depression on the land surface caused by wind erosion. |
| butte | A narrow pinnacle of resistant rock with a flat top and very steep sides. |
| deflation | The removal of clay, silt, and sand particles from the land surface by wind. |
| desert | A region with low precipitation (usually defined as less than 25 cm per year). |
| fault | A fracture in bedrock along which movement has taken place. |
| flash flood | Flood of very high discharge and short duration; sudden and local in extent. |
| loess | A fine-grained deposit of wind-blown dust. |
| longitudinal dune (seif) | Large, symmetrical ridge of sand parallel to the wind direction. |
| mesa | A broad, flat-topped hill bounded by cliffs and capped with a resistant rock layer. |
| parabolic dune | A deeply curved dune in a region of abundant sand. The horns point upwind and are often anchored by vegetation. |
| pediment | A gently sloping erosional surface cut into the solid rock of a mountain range in a dry region; usually covered with a thin veneer of gravel. |
| plateau | Broad, flat-topped area elevated above the surrounding land and bounded, at least in part, by cliffs. |
| playa | A very flat surface underlain by hard, mud-cracked clay. |
| playa lake | A shallow temporary lake (following a rainstorm) on a flat valley floor in a dry region. |
| rain shadow | A region on the downwind side of mountains that has little or no rain because of the loss of moisture on the upwind side of the mountains. |
| sand dune | A mound of loose sand grains heaped up by the wind. |
| slip face | The steep, downwind slope of a dune; formed from loose, cascading sand that generally keeps the slope at the angle of repose (about 34°). |
| transverse dune | A relatively straight, elongate dune oriented perpendicular to the wind. |
| ventifact | Boulder, cobble, or pebble with flat surfaces caused by the abrasion of wind-blown sand. |
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