Sand Dunes: Huge piles of Sand

Sand dunes are huge hills made of sand that can weigh up to tons. They come in several shapes and sizes like crescents or star shaped and many other forms. Some make loud booming sounds when they are disturbed! Scientists are still trying to find out why. So what shapes these piles of sand? 

Sand Dune Formation

Sand dunes are formed when wind lifts up a huge quantity of sand and deposits it on a certain obstacle such as a rock. Later on, when the sand piles up in a huge quantity, it forms a barrier. When the barrier gets really big after a long period of time, it loses balance which makes it easy for the wind to break the sand barrier. Then the wind gives it shape and there you have it, a sand dune is formed. Sand dunes can be formed by two agents of weathering; wind and waves. The same process takes place when waves create sand dunes and when wind creates sand dunes. Creating sand dunes takes weathering, erosion, and deposition. Weathering is when rock breaks up into smaller pieces which turn into sediments over a period of time, and if there were no sediments there would be no sand because sediments are sand. Erosion is the movement of sediments while deposition is the end of erosion. Sand needs weathering because as I told you before, weathering creates sand. Dunes also need erosion because in order to have a sand dune, a huge amount of sand should be dumped in one spot, but if there was no erosion the sand would not be able to move at all. Last but not least dunes need deposition in order to get the sand to stop in one spot.

Where Are Sand Dunes Located?

 You find sand dunes on the European coast that is bordering the Atlantic Ocean. You also find sand dunes on the western side of North America and of course all around sandy desserts. You find them on the European coast because waves create sand dunes, and the Atlantic Ocean has humongous waves. You find sand dunes on the western side of North America because California is a very windy place and is next to the Pacific Ocean. Another reason for sand dunes to be found on the western side of North America because you can find some desserts there You find sand dunes in every sandy desert, because deserts are often windy and sandy which makes the end product of sand and wind together Easy to predict.

The Most Famous Sand Dune

The most famous sand dune is the Cerro Blanco Sand Dunes in Peru. It is the highest sand dune in the world. The real name of this sand dune is in Quechua language is Yuraq Orqjo which means White Mountain. It is located on the east of Nazca Valley. The height of the Cerro Blanca Sand Dune is 2070 m.    

In my opinion, I think sand dunes will be eroded in the sea in the future. I think this because if erosion keeps going on for years eventually something has to go wrong. And if there was a lot of eroded sand in the sea either the sea level will get higher or the sea turns into a gigantic pile of mud! And there you have it. I hope you one day get the chance to go see one of those huge gigantic sand dunes.