Definition
A falling dune is a high-order bedform with a lee face on the downhill side of a topographic slope >8° (Chojnacki et al. 2010). Falling dunes are not stabilized.
Synonyms
A type of obstacle dune
Description
Falling dunes are bedforms with lee faces on the downhill side. They form on the downwind side of topographic highs. Falling dunes are usually transported down gullies (or wadis) along a path of least resistance (Koscielniak 1973; Al-Enezi et al. 2008). Falling dunes may act as feeders for other dune forms within the trough, valley, or crater (Bourke et al. 2004; Tirsch 2009).
Formation
Falling dunes may form when sand from climbing dunes reaches the crest of the topographic barrier and enters the air stream over it. Sand is...
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References
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Chojnacki, M., Hargitai, H., Kereszturi, Á. (2014). Falling Dune. In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_145-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_145-1
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