The work of wind comprises erosion, transportation, and deposition

The work of wind comprises erosion, transportation, and deposition. The work of wind is called eolian (also spelled aeolian, for Aeolus, the god of winds in Greek mythology). Wind may be defined as air in motion nearly parallel to the earth’s surface.

In other words, air in horizontal motion at or near the earth’s surface is called wind. The chief cause of wind is the unequal heating of the earth’s surface by the sun, which results in difference in air pressures between different areas.

Even though there are winds in different climatic regions of the world, but in the present chapter, discussion about the erosion, transportation, and deposition by wind is centered on the semi-arid and arid areas (deserts) of the world.

Wind action is more important in the arid and semi-arid areas where the vegetation cover of the ground is almost negligible. Besides, the presence of extensive desolate rocks assists in the erosional transportational and depositional processes.

Wind action is also very important on sandy coastal areas and outwash plains of glaciated regions. Even though wind, like running water, corrades, transports, and deposits; but it is relatively insignificant as an erosional agent.

However, wind is effective in the transportation of sand, silt and dust. However, the transport capacity of wind is astounding; as much as 100 million tons of material are carried more than 3220 km. during same wind storms.

It differs from a river both in its mode of action and in its effects. It lacks the strength of a rapid river and is unable to move such heavy rock fragments as a river is capable of doing.

Thus, wind is a relatively minor agent of geomorphic change mainly because of the low density of air as compared to rock and water. Only very fine dust particles are transported in suspension except at extremely high wind velocities.

In addition, because of low density, wind exerts a comparatively low pressure against obstructions.

But wind is able to whirl the fine dust particles to great heights, and sometimes it blows clouds of dust in deserts even across a mountain range. Running water cannot do this.

Eolian processes and landforms produced by them characterize the arid regions, where the absence of vegetation not only helps wind erosion, transportation and deposition, but also it enables the resultant landscape to be observed.