WIND EROSION

The wind itself is not strong enough to produce effects of weathering. What you can do is carry particles, when they hit the ground, which are worn. This erosion is usually slow and to occur, the territory should be naked, as the vegetation reduces or nullifies the effect.

Wind erosion occurs because, in arid areas such as deserts and high mountains. They have also another essential characteristic: large temperature differences. This causes the rock to break off and wind erosion can act more effectively.

Corrosion is the abrasion suffered by the rocks being rubbed by the impacts of sand particles that are transported by wind. When these particles strike the rocks undergo a transformation in turn, taking a rounded appearance. When the wind loses strength transported material is deposited gradually, which usually leads to the accumulation of particles of similar size and weigth

The wind erosion agent

Wind is an effective erosion agent capable of starting, lifting and carrying particles, however, eroding their ability to compact and hard rocks is limited

If the surface is made of hard rock, the wind is unable to cause significant changes since the cohesive force of the material exceeds the force exerted by the wind. Only in those places where the exposed surface of mineral particles containing loose or loosely cohesive, wind can express their full potential for erosion and transport. Speed determines the ability of wind to erode and drag particles, but also influences the nature of the material, topography, the protective efficacy of vegetation, etc.,

In the phenomenon of wind erosion, is determining the surface acted upon by the wind. Its alteration is not limited to points or restricted areas as with water erosion, wind action is exerted on the entire surface. In large spaces, often produces erosion excavated shallow depressions called pits, basins or depressions of deflation. They originate in areas more or less flat and devoid of vegetation where the soil is exposed to wind action. Fine particles (clay and silt) are lifted by vertical currents which exceed the settling velocities, the powder is diffused in the atmosphere at altitudes ranging from few meters to several thousand. The height depends on the intensity of turbulence of the wind, its duration and size of the particles. As a result, there may be a thick cloud, called a dust storm.