Large smooth elongated windblown deposits extending parallel to prevailing wind are known as?

Large smooth elongated windblown deposits extending parallel to prevailing wind are known as?

• A. Seif dunes
• B. Barchan dunes
• C. Transverse dunes
• D. Longitudinal dunes

Answer: (A)

When dunes form under a steady wind from one direction, sand is transported along the length of the dune and creates a long, narrow ridge with a crest that runs parallel to the prevailing wind. This produces large, smooth, elongated dunes whose major orientation is along the wind, matching the description of seif dunes. The tail ends (slip faces) sit on the sides, and the dune can extend for kilometers as the wind continues to move sand along its crest. This distinguishes them from other types: barchans are crescent-shaped with horns pointing downwind, transverse dunes cut across the wind, and longitudinal dunes (while also parallel to wind) are typically a series of ridges rather than a single smooth, long form.

When dunes form under a steady wind from one direction, sand is transported along the length of the dune and creates a long, narrow ridge with a crest that runs parallel to the prevailing wind. This produces large, smooth, elongated dunes whose major orientation is along the wind, matching the description of seif dunes. The tail ends (slip faces) sit on the sides, and the dune can extend for kilometers as the wind continues to move sand along its crest. This distinguishes them from other types: barchans are crescent-shaped with horns pointing downwind, transverse dunes cut across the wind, and longitudinal dunes (while also parallel to wind) are typically a series of ridges rather than a single smooth, long form.