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WIND LANDFORM PRACTICE SHEET

Sand Dunes                        Piles of sand that are moved and shaped by wind.  The direction of wind is determined
                                          by locating the steep side (if looking at topographic maps, the steep side is the side with
                                          the closest contour lines).  Sand is moved up the gentle side to slip down the steep side.

Barchan Dune                     Has the horns of the dune pointing in the direction the wind is blowing.  Commonly
                                          found alone, but always in a sand poor area.

Parabolic Dune                    Has the horns of the dune pointing into the wind.  Found were there is lots of sand.

Transverse Dune        `        A collection of Barchan Dunes that have coalesced into one dune that is acrocc the
                                           direction of the wind.  The horns still point in the direction that the wind is blowing.

        The arrows on the diagram above are pointing to some sand dunes.  First determine which side is the steep side.  Then determine what type of dune it is.