Feather-like Dunes

Feather-like Dunes derive their name from their resemblance to feathers. They are an exclusive sand ridge formation found solely in the Yardang Geoarea in Dunhuang and the adjacent Kumtag Desert, which makes them a distinctive feature of China. Under the influence of the northeasterly wind, longitudinal dunes extend upward along the hillside in a northeast-southwest direction. Among them, there are some low-lying sand ridges scattered. The longitudinal dunes intersect with the sand ridges almost perpendicularly. The longitudinal dunes resemble the shafts of bird feathers, while the sand ridges resemble the branches on either side of the shaft. Therefore, they are referred to as feathery longitudinal dunes. The formation of such dunes requires a broad, flat, and sloping terrain with an ample supply of sand grains. Two winds blowing from a similar direction generate the driving force required for their creation. Initially, crescent-shaped sand dunes are formed, which eventually transform into crescent-shaped longitudinal dunes. On this basis, tongue-shaped dunes emerge. The combination of tongue-shaped dunes and crescent-shaped longitudinal dunes results in the formation of feathery longitudinal dunes.