Aeolian processes

Wind erosion of soil at the foot of Chimborazo, Ecuador
Rock carved by drifting sand below Fortification Rock in Arizona (Photo by Timothy H. O'Sullivan, USGS, 1871)

Aeolian processes, also spelled eolian,[1] pertain to wind activity in the study of geology and weather and specifically to the wind's ability to shape the surface of the Earth (or other planets). Winds may erode, transport, and deposit materials and are effective agents in regions with sparse vegetation, a lack of soil moisture and a large supply of unconsolidated sediments. Although water is a much more powerful eroding force than wind, aeolian processes are important in arid environments such as deserts.[2]

The term is derived from the name of the Greek god Aeolus, the keeper of the winds.[3][4]

  1. ^ Allaby, Michael (2013). "aeolian processes (eolian processes)". A dictionary of geology and earth sciences (Fourth ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199653065.
  2. ^ "Eolian Processes". Deserts: Geology and Resources. United States Geological Survey. 1997. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Aeolian". Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com LLC. 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  4. ^ "aeolian". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)