What is the steep side of a sand dune called?

What is the steep side of a sand dune called?

As on Earth, the downwind side of a sand dune has a steep slope called a slip face. Sand grains blowing across the windward side of a dune become sheltered from the wind by the dune itself.

What are the two sides of a sand dune?

The upwind/upstream/upcurrent side of the dune is called the stoss side; the downflow side is called the lee side. Sand is pushed (creep) or bounces (saltation) up the stoss side, and slides down the lee side. A side of a dune that the sand has slid down is called a slip face (or slipface).

How steep can a sand dune be?

Typical Sand Dune A typical dune is 3 to 100 meters high and asymmetricl. The slip face is usually twice as steep as the windward face (stoss slope) of the dune forms an angle relative to a horizontal ground surface, usually around 33 degrees. This is called the angle of repose.

Why are sand dunes steeper on one side?

Viewed from one end, sand dunes have a flat back side and a steep front side. The wind blows up the back side of the dune. This process causes a sand dune to migrate down wind. Sand is continually eroded from its upwind side, and deposited on its downwind side.