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417 words used in the labs.

Find a term from the labs, understand the process behind it, and see how it appears in the landscape. Each entry connects an explanation with a real observation and a model you can explore.

Deflation

The removal of loose surface particles by wind. Fine material may be carried away in suspension, leaving a coarser lag behind. Deflation removes sediment; abrasion is the wearing of surfaces by particles that the wind carries.

What to look for

Sossusvlei dunes, Namib Desert. Wind transports loose sand by surface creep and saltation; the dunes record accumulated transport rather than individual grain paths.

Tall orange sand dunes under a clear sky at Sossusvlei, Namibia.
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Explore further with USGS water glossary · USGS volcano glossary · NPS glacial geology · NASA Earth facts. Photograph acknowledgements are collected on the Image credits page.