GPH 111 - Arid Lands

OTHER TOPICS ----->	Intro/Maps	Atmosphere	Climate / Hydrosphere
	Biosphere / Soils	Tectonics	Specific Environments

Fluvial Karst Oceanic Landforms Glaciers Arid Lands

Arid Lands Topography

I. BASIC CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY

A. Mechanical Weathering Dominates

slower process; more angular slopes vs. humid terrain

rainfall -- not a lot, but intense = intense erosion

intense flooding: Moapa, NV / Page, AZ / another
stream bed = flat bottom, steep sides = gully or wash / arroyo / or wadi / Hassayampa River
exotic stream

wind as an erosional force

B. Types of Deserts

II. AEOLIAN (WIND) PROCESSES/LANDFORMS

A. Erosion -- blowout/hollow / WY satellite / photo

B. Transportation: saltation and traction

C. Deposition

sand dunes / White Sands NM / diagram
- barchan (diagram): young barchan / a big one / on Mars
loess / U.S. map / Palouse Hills, WA / Missouri - Mississippi area

III. SPECIFIC LANDFORMS AND FEATURES

A. River Related

playas; some famous playas:
- Bonneville Salt Flats (speed testing)
- Racetrack Playa (Mystery solved? video)
alluvial fan / reverse angle / multiple
basin and range / #2 (alluvial fans; playas)
Badlands / So. Utah / AZ example
Natural Bridge (stream erosion / satellite)
- Rainbow Bridge / aerial view
- Owachomo Bridge / Kachina Bridge / Sipapu Bridge / view from satellite

B. Differential Erosion

process diagram / example #1a / 1b / #2 / SE Arizona
Mesa and Scarp Features
- caprock, scarp, and slope
- size: pinnacle / butte / mesa / plateau (map / satellite / Mogollon Rim)
Natural Arch / #2 / #3 / #4 / #5 / collapsed arch
Pedastals or Balanced Rocks
- Garden of the Gods, CO / Chiricahua, AZ / Canyon de Chelly, AZ

Tonto Natural Bridge (actually karst)

Fluvial Karst Oceanic Landforms Glaciers Arid Lands

OTHER TOPICS -----> Intro/Maps Atmosphere Climate / Hydrosphere
Biosphere / Soils Tectonics Specific Environments