On the shape of barchan dunes

Abstract

Barchans are crescent-shaped sand dunes forming in aride regions with unidirectional wind and limited sand supply. We report analytical and numerical results for dune shapes under different environmental conditions as obtained from the so-called `minimal model' of aeolian sand dunes. The profiles of longitudinal vertical slices (i.e. along the wind direction) are analyzed as a function of wind speed and sand supply. Shape transitions can be induced by changes of mass, wind speed and sand supply. Within a minimal extension of the model to the transverse direction the scale-invariant profile of transverse vertical cuts can be derived analytically.

to appear in J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 17 (2005)

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• Shape evolution of numerically obtained subaqueous barchan dunes
• Horns of subaqueous barchan dunes: A study at the grain scale
• Morphology and displacement of dunes in a closed-conduit flow
• Analytical mesoscale modeling of aeolian sand transport
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• Barchans interacting with dune-size obstacles: details of the fluid flow and motion of grains