Geographia Polonica (1992) vol. 60

Desertification in the light of sedimentological features of dune deposits

Elżbieta Mycielska-Dowgiałło

Geographia Polonica (1992) vol. 60, pp. 181-194 | Full text

The purpose of the present study was the answer to the question whether sedimentological features of dune deposits make a record of the duration of desertification processes. According to the author, the features of dune sediments showing the duration of aeolian processes, indirectly indicate the period of lasting of desert conditions. Particularly informative of the duration of aeolian processes is the degree of transformation of dune sediments in relation to source sediments as for their grain size distribution, mineral composition, as well as the features of abrasion and frosting of quartz grains (with the use of electron microscope analysis as one of the research methods).

Elżbieta Mycielska-Dowgiałło, Laboratory of Sedimentology, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland