Valley-marginal sand dunes in the southwest Kalahari: their nature, classification and possible origins

J.E. Bullard, David Nash

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper considers the nature, classification and possible origin of a variety of desert sand dunes which occur in association with ephemeral drainage features in the south-west Kalahari. The dune forms, which we term valley-marginal dunes, are found at the top of valley flanks, and are narrow, elongate forms with arcuate and straight planform elements which mirror the course of extant and ancient channels. Following a discussion of the major schemes used to classify different dune types, we describe the morphology and situation of these valley-marginal dunes. We suggest that whilst the basic morphometry of these dunes is similar to many other dune types, the topographic setting in which they occur is relatively unusual. We conclude that valley-marginal dunes are a previously unrecognized landform which cannot be fitted into current classificatory schemes. It is suggested that one reason for this may be the lack of an explicit temporal dimension in most dune classifications.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)369-383
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Arid Environments
Volume45
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 2000

Keywords

  • valley-marginal sand dune
  • south-west Kalahari
  • dune classification

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