Aeolian sand and sand dunes

...the great strength of the book is that it reviews much new research material, and it is frequently almost encyclopaedic in its coverage of the topics it tackles. - Progress in Physical Geography

• 1 The nature and importance of aeolian sand research.- 1.1 Definitions.- 1.2 Previous work.- 1.3 Future research requirements.- 2 The nature of airflow.- 2.1 Physical properties of air and the Earth’s atmosphere.- 2.2 Nature and types of air motion.- 2.3 Storm types that generate sand-transporting winds.- 2.4 Flow in the atmospheric boundary layer.- 3 Characteristics of windblown sediments.- 3.1 General properties of sediment grains.- 3.2 Grain shape.- 3.3 Porosity, permeability, and packing of sands.- 3.4 Grain size characteristics of aeolian sediments.- 3.5 Shape characteristics of aeolian dune sands.- 3.6 Surface textures of aeolian sands.- 3.7 Porosity and permeability of aeolian sands.- 3.8 Sources and mineral composition of aeolian dune sand.- 4 Mechanics of aeolian sand transport.- 4.1 Particle entrainment.- 4.2 Transport of particles by the wind.- 5 The formation of sand seas and dunefields.- 5.1 Definition of sand seas and dunefields.- 5.2 Global distribution of sand seas.- 5.3 Factors controlling the distribution and magnitude of sand seas.- 5.4 Development of sand seas in relation to topography.- 5.5 Wind regime and regional sandflow paths.- 5.6 Evolution of ergs in response to climatic changes.- 5.7 Effect of sea-level changes on coastal dunefields.- 5.8 Effect of sea-level changes on continental dunefields.- 6 Aeolian bedforms.- 6.1 Types of aeolian sand accumulation and bedform terminology.- 6.2 Ripples.- 6.3 Sand dunes.- 6.4 Vegetated dunes.- 6.5 Sand sheets.- 6.6 Summary of factors determining the morphology of aeolian sand accumulations.- 7 Internal sedimentary structures of aeolian sand deposits.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Internal structures of sand dunes.- 7.3 Secondary sedimentary structures in dunes.- 7.4 Sedimentary structures of interdune areasand sand sheets.- 7.5 Niveo-aeolian deposits and cryogenic structures in cold-climate dunes.- 8 Post-depositional modification of dune sands.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Denudation by rain splash, surface wash, soil creep, and gullying.- 8.3 Near-surface compaction.- 8.4 Addition of allochthonous components.- 8.5 Weathering and pedogenesis of siliceous dune sands.- 8.6 Formation of carbonate aeolianites.- 8.7 Early diagenetic cementation by evaporite minerals.- 9 Management and human use of sand dune environments.- 9.1 Thermal properties of sand, moisture regime, and vegetation growth.- 9.2 Water courses in dune areas.- 9.3 Control of windblown sand.- 9.4 Human use of sand dune areas.- 10 Aeolian research techniques.- 10.1 Wind tunnel studies.- 10.2 Measurement of sand movement using sand traps.- 10.3 Sand tracer techniques.- 10.4 Methods of sample collection for grain size and mineralogical analysis.- 10.5 Methods of determining the grain size of sands.- 10.6 Characterization of airflow.- 10.7 Methods of monitoring changes in sand dune terrain.- Appendix I. SI units and c.g.s. equivalents.- References.