Knowra Loess Loess Loess is a wind-deposited sediment, usually dominated by silt, that accumulates in extensive blankets. Its porous structure can weather into fertile soil but also makes steep deposits prone to collapse and erosion.
Aeolian processes : Geological processes driven by wind, including the erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment. Loess forms when wind transports fine sediment and deposits it beyond its source.
Pleistocene : The geological epoch from about 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago, marked by repeated glacial cycles. Much of the world's thick loess accumulated during Pleistocene climate swings.
Chernozem : A dark, humus-rich soil that develops under grassland vegetation in several temperate regions. Loess parent material contributes to some exceptionally fertile chernozem soils.
Till : Unsorted sediment deposited directly by glacial ice. Unlike loess, till contains a broad mix of grain sizes and is not sorted by wind.
Silt : Sediment particles between sand and clay in size, commonly defined as 2–63 micrometers in diameter. Silt-sized grains make up much of loess and help wind carry it over long distances.
Glacial flour : Fine rock powder produced when glaciers grind bedrock beneath or around the ice. Glacial grinding supplied abundant silt for loess downwind of ice sheets and mountain glaciers.
Soil erosion : The removal of soil by water, wind, or other processes. Unprotected loess erodes readily, especially where runoff cuts gullies into steep slopes.
Alluvium : Sediment deposited by flowing water, commonly in river channels and floodplains. Alluvium is water-laid, whereas loess is deposited from the air.
Dust emission : The release of mineral particles from the ground into the atmosphere. Exposed floodplains and deserts supply airborne dust that can later settle as loess.
Yellow River : A major river in northern China whose sediment load is exceptionally rich in fine material. Its sediment and the landscapes around it supplied and redistributed dust across the Chinese Loess Plateau.
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