Aeolian Landform (11. Loess)

11.Loess                                                                                                                                                Back to Aeolian Landforms

• Loess sediment formed by  wind-blown dust/silt and thundra condition.

• color is yellowish or brown.

• Ihey are 20–50 micrometre size range.

Loess in Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA

• Loess cemented by Calcium carbonate.

• It is product of past glacial activity (ice age).

• The word Loess fist use in Rhine river valley1821.

• It derived from german word for "loose".

• These are called 

                      -Paha ridges in America
                     -Greda ridgesin Europe. 

• Loess is ;

                     -Homogeneous

                     -Porous

                     -Friable

                     -Pale yellow

Loess near Hunyuan, Shanxi province, China.

                     -Buff

                     -Slightly coherent

                     -Non stretified

                    -Often calcareous

•  Loess grains are angular with;

                    -Little polishing

                    -Rounding

                    -Composed of crystals. 

• Composed crystals are;

                    -Quartz

                    -Feldspar

                    -Mica

                   -Other minerals

• Loess deposits  very thick <100m areas or  China & the Midwestern United States.

• Loess often stands in either steep or vertical faces. 

•  Loess will erode very readily.

• Top soils of loess are discovered in the;

        -NorthWestern parts of United Ststes

        -Central Europe

        -Eastern Europe

        -Eastern China