This is a desert landscape consisting of chains of large barchan dunes. Transverse dunes can generally reach lengths of 10–20 km and heights up to 100 m. Adjacent dune chains can be up to 1,500–3,500 m apart. The dunes are perpendicular to the wind direction, so they are called transverse dunes. The two slopes are asymmetrical; the windward slope is long and gentle, but the leeward slope is short and steep. The windward slope is often superimposed with several small barchan dunes. Transverse dunes form due to wind from two opposite directions. When two air currents meet and block each other or when the airflow is deflected by a mountain, a transverse dune perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction will form. Transverse sand dunes are located in the Tengger Desert and Kumtag Desert in China (Fig. 30).
Transverse dune landscape – Kumutage Desert, Xinjiang Province (after Dong Zhibao)
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsEditor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this entry
Cite this entry
(2020). Transverse Dune Landscape. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2597
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_2597
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-2537-3
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-2538-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences