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Denudation

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Denudation

In geology, denudation is the long-term sum of processes that cause the wearing away of the Earth's surface by moving water, ice, wind and waves, leading to a reduction in elevation and relief of landforms and landscapes.

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Process of Denudation

Denudation is the wearing away of landmass by various processes like weathering, mass movement, erosion and transportation. It results in lowering the level of land, rounding exposed rock surfaces and levelling the peaks. Various agents of erosion like water, wind, and glaciers are involved in the process of denudation.

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Work of Wind

The work of wind is predominantly found in the hot desert and semi-arid regions. Like other agents of erosion, wind also performs the work of erosion, transportation and deposition.

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Transportation and depositional work of a river

The work of a river is performed by three processes: Erosion, Transportation and Deposition.
Transportation and deposition by river: The river carry all the eroded materials down the slope and as the steepness of the slope decreases and the transporting capacity of the river reduces, the sediments of the river get deposited in its bed and along its banks. Flood plains, flood levees, deltas etc are formed due to the depositional works of the river.

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Deflation hollows

The sand in hot deserts is lifted and carried away over long distances by the wind. A depression is formed in the area from where the sand is carried away. Such depressions are called 'deflation hollows'. The Qattara Depression in Egypt is formed in this way. The depth of this depression is 133 m below the sea level.

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Erosional work of groundwater

When rain water seeps below the earth's surface through porous rocks or cracks in the rocks, the water accumulates in the non-porous layer of the rock. This accumulated water is called the ground water.
The soluble minerals in the water get dissolved and flow with the ground water, this is the erosional work of the ground water.

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Sand dunes

The changes in the velocity of wind lead to variations in its capacity to carry material. The velocity of wind gets reduced also due to obstacles. As a result, the sand gets deposited. Such deposition leads to the formation of sand hills. These are called sand dunes. Two main types of sand dunes are Barchan and Seif.

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Depositional work of sea waves

The eroded materials of the sea accumulate at the places where the effect of waves is less. As a result landforms like beaches, sand bars, lagoons are formed due to the depositional work of the sea waves.

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Types of dunes

A large amount of sand is carried away by the wind. The transportation of sand particles by wind depends upon their size. Very fine particles are carried away over a distance of thousands of kilometers and they form a variety of landform called sand dunes. The types of sand dunes are as follows:
(a) Barchan
(b) Seif
(c) Loess plain.

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Slower mass movement

When weathered particles move down due to gravity alone, the process is called mass movement. Mass movement occurs in two ways: Rapid mass movement and slower mass movement.
Slower mass movement: In the ares with dry climate and gentler slopes, mass movements occur slowly. Slow mass movement goes on for years or even centuries. 

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Depositional works of wind

Wind carry sand particles of different shapes and size. Those particles which are very fine get carried over long distance while the larger particles get transported to shorter distance. These particles get deposited in the arid and semi arid regions and forms different landforms. Sand dunes, barchans, seifs, ripple etc are some examples.

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Explain Seif

The word Seif in Arabian language means a sword. These types of sand dunes are developed due to the deposition of sand in an elongated shape in the direction of the wind. Generally their height is low but they can spread over a distance of a few kilometers.

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Rapid mass movements

When weathered particles move down due to gravity alone, the process is called mass movement. Mass movement occurs in two ways: Rapid mass movement and slower mass movement.
Rapid mass movements: Rapid mass movements includes rockfalls, landslides, land subsidence etc. Their effects are very destructive and mostly occur in the region of humid climate and steeper slopes. Rapids mass movements may also occur because of earthquake.

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Mass movements or mass wasting

When weathered particles move down due to gravity alone, the process is called mass movement.  The weathered materials  accumulate near the foothills or the gentler slopes.It can be very dangerous because they can happen very quickly and involve entire hillsides. Mass movement occurs in two ways: Rapid mass movement and slower mass movement.

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Mushroom rocks

A mushroom rock, also called a pedestal rock, is a naturally occurring rock whose shape resembles a mushroom. The rocks are deformed in a number of different ways: by erosion and weathering, glacial action, or from a sudden disturbance.

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Loess formation

In some parts of the world, windblown dust and silt blanket the land. This layer of fine, mineral-rich material is called loess. Loess is a recent deposit of silt or material which is usually yellowish or brown in colour and consisting of tiny mineral particles brought by wind to the places where they now lie. It is a product of past glacial activity in an area. It is a sedimentary deposit of mineral particles which are finer than sand but coarser than dust or clay, deposited by the wind.

LEARN WITH VIDEOS
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Denudation and Gradation
8 mins
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Denudation and Its Phases
10 mins
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Work of River on Denudation
6 mins
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Stages of River Course
11 mins
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Work of Wind on Denudation
7 mins
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Landforms Associated With Wind Erosion
8 mins

Quick Summary With Stories

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Meaning and Agents of Denudation

3 mins

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Erosional Work of River

3 mins

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Erosion, Transportation and Deposition Work of Wind

3 mins

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Landforms Associated with Middle and Lower Courses of River

3 mins

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Landfroms Associated with Upper Course of River

3 mins

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Landfroms Associated with Wind Erosion and Deposition

3 mins

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