Dune worlds

How Windblown Sand Shapes Planetary Landscapes

Auteurs

• Ralph Lorenz

Paramètres

• Géologie et Minéralogie

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This book explores the functioning of sand dunes, their diverse formations across various environments, and contemporary research surrounding them, including their presence on other celestial bodies. It highlights the dynamic nature of dune science, paralleling the ever-changing characteristics of dunes themselves, and boasts striking visuals of Aeolian geomorphology. The text is structured into four parts. The first introduces dunes as a planetary phenomenon, reflecting geological processes like volcanism, impact, tectonics, erosion, and sediment deposition. It examines dunes as emergent dynamical systems shaped by the interplay of sand and wind, drawing parallels with other emergent structures. The impact of dunes on desert communities and infrastructure is discussed, alongside their role as forensic climatological indicators. The physics of dunes is analyzed, covering sand mechanics, wind physics, and dune morphology classification. The second part surveys Earth, Mars, Titan, and other celestial bodies, starting with Earth's major deserts and dunefields. It delves into Mars' environment, sediment types, dune stratigraphy, and the relationship between dunes and topography. Titan's unique conditions, including its thick atmosphere and methane presence, are examined, along with the implications for climate and wind patterns. The section concludes with a look at other planetary bodies, noting the limited dunefields on Venus and

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• Année de publication: 2014