________ have rainfall amounts and soil moisture contents between those of true deserts and humid lands.
A ________ is an intermittent stream channel in the dry land areas of the western United States.
Which one of the following will effectively limit further deflation in a given area?
Which one of the following statements is correct?
Alluvial fans typically rim desert valleys; playas form in the lowest, interior parts of the valleys.
Which of the following characteristics would suggest geologically recent, fault uplift of a desert mountain range?
flat, upland surfaces, steep slopes and small alluvial fans
How is desert pavement formed?
Runoff and deflation carry off the silt and clay, leaving coarser particles behind.
Which one of the following is the one best measure of the wetness or dryness of a region?
difference between annual precipitation and evaporation potential
How are sand grains transported by the wind?
by saltation in the first few meters above the land surface
Which of the following best describes the climatic factors that cause low latitude deserts like the Sahara in Africa?
Cool, dry air aloft is descending; surface winds are blowing toward the equator.
Loess deposits in the central United States ________.
originated as rock flour in Pleistocene glacial streams and rivers
Assume that the central slip face of a barchan dune slopes downhill toward the east. What is the direction of the prevailing wind?
west to east
During a typical sandstorm, saltating sand grains reach a maximum height of ________ above the land surface.