aeolian process
Sign in to saveAlso known as eolian processes, aeolian processes, eolation, æolian action, aeolian action, æolian process, æolian processes
processes due to wind activity
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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, 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. They 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.