Earth's Surface Processes

Wind Erosion and Deposition

• Wind shapes the Earth through abrasion, deflation, dunes, and loess
• Abrasion is the grinding and wearing down of rock surfaces by other rocks or sand particles
• Deflation is the removal of top layers of fine sediment by wind, leaving behind rocks that are too heavy to be lifted
• Dunes are mounds of wind-deposited sand that move in the same direction as the wind
• Loess is a thick deposit of fine-grained sediment carried long distances by wind

Ice Erosion and Deposition

• Ice shapes the Earth through glacial drift, alpine glaciers, and continental glaciers
• Glacial drift is the process of glaciers moving under gravity, picking up materials (erosion) and depositing them as they melt
• Alpine glaciers form in mountain areas, creating rugged landscapes
• Continental glaciers are thick sheets of ice that spread over entire continents, eroding and removing existing features

Gravity Erosion and Deposition

• Gravity shapes the Earth through creep, rockfall, landslide, and mudflow
• Creep is the extremely slow movement of materials downslope, influenced by factors such as water, plant roots, and burrowing animals
• Rockfall is the sudden falling of loose rocks down a steep slope
• Landslide is the sudden rapid movement of a large amount of material downslope
• Mudflow is the rapid movement of a large mass of mud

Learn about the ways wind, ice, and gravity shape our planet's surface, including abrasion, deflation, dunes, and loess.