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The leeward side of a dune is shorter and called the slip face. Dunes often serve an important purpose in protecting land from storm waves.
The side of a sand dune facing the ocean is called leeward.
A leeward slope is on the opposite side of a mountain, opposite to where the wind is blowing. For example, wind is blowing from north to south to a mountain, and the south side of the mountain would be the leeward slope.
The steep slope of a dune is typically around 30-34 degrees, which allows the sand to accumulate in a stable formation without collapsing. Steeper slopes can occur in dunes formed by different processes or in specific environments.
The upwind direction of a sand dune has a gentle slope. A steep slope is on the downwind side. The pronounced slope of a sand dune is called a slip face. Sand erodes from the wind off the slip face. To learn more about sand dunes, visit http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/geol111/deserts.htm.
The upwind direction of a sand dune has a gentle slope. A steep slope is on the downwind side. The pronounced slope of a sand dune is called a slip face. Sand erodes from the wind off the slip face. To learn more about sand dunes, visit http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/geol111/deserts.htm.
The upwind direction of a sand dune has a gentle slope. A steep slope is on the downwind side. The pronounced slope of a sand dune is called a slip face. Sand erodes from the wind off the slip face. To learn more about sand dunes, visit http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/geol111/deserts.htm.
In general, most dunes have a windward side and a leeward side. The windward side is the side on which wind strikes the dune, leeward is the opposite side. The force of the wind will affect the sand on the windward side differently from the leeward side.
The gentle slope is in the upwind direction. The downwind direction has a steep slope called a slip face.
A dune with a steeper slope is likely to erode faster because it is more susceptible to wind and water erosion. Additionally, dunes located in areas with high winds or strong water currents will erode more quickly than dunes in calmer environments.
A sand dune is a desert feature that forms as a result of wind or rain action towards one side. The sand dune usually forms towards the dominant side of the wind direction and can vary in gradient.
The wind deposits large loose amounts of sand to create sand dunes. The wind pushes sand up one side. That sand will move over the edge of the dune's top. The sand will pile up up until gravity pulls it down and this creates a steeper slope than the one that faces the wind.