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Wind Erosion/Deserts
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Deflation | The lowering of land surface by wind |
| Blowout / Deflation Hollow | Forms when the wind blows so hard that it deflates the land so greatly |
| Oasis | A blowout is so great that the water table shows on the surface |
| Abrasion | Occurs when materials carried by the wind hurls rocks against rock surfaces and wears down the rock |
| Mushroom / Pedestal Rocks | The wind blows and creates abrasion which undercuts and wears down rocks near the ground and forms these rocks |
| Mesa | Sometimes a portion of a plateau separates from its main mass to form a flat-topped table land |
| Butte | Erosion wears away the sides of a mesa making a small feature |
| Seif Dunes | Long narrow ridges of sand parallel to the direction of the prevailing wind |
| Barchans | Crescent shaped dunes with gentle windward sides and steep slopes on the leeward sides |
| Erg | A large expanse of sand dunes |
| Hamada | Formed when large areas of rock are exposed to deflation |
| Loess | Great deposits of fine soil were transported to their present position by wind thousands of years ago |
| Flash Floods | A random flood that carries away large volumes of weathered material, they only occur a few times a year |
| Wadi / Arroyo | Deepened gullies formed year after year |
| Alluvial Fan | Large fan-shaped masses of alluvium found at the base of mountains in deserts |
| Bajada | Two or more alluvial fans joined together |
| Playa Lake | A dried up lake |
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Hannah1261