Dunes: Process and Form

Compiled by Mark Francek (more info) at Carleton College (more info) (SERC) and Central Michigan University (more info)

Find animations describing conditions necessary for producing form variations in sand dunes.

The complete set of Visualization Collections is available.



Dune Types, Wiley This page uses Flash enabled rollovers on a "dune triangle" to show examples of parabolic, star, longitudinal, crescent, and transverse dunes. Each of these dunes is categorized on the triangle based by the amount of vegetation present, sand supply, plus wind strength, duration, and direction.

Sand Dune Formation, McGraw Hill (more info) In this Flash animation note how the prevailing wind direction produces sand grain erosion and transport on the windward side of the dune and deposition on the lee side of the dune. Access the animation by clicking on the "Formation of a Sand Dune" link.