Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Geography (MS)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Geosciences

Advisor/Mentor

Paradise, Thomas R.

Committee Member

Davidson, Fiona M.

Second Committee Member

Tullis, Jason A.

Keywords

aeolian processes; cartography; sand dune; Wadi Rum

Abstract

Situated in southern Jordan, near the Saudi Arabia border, Wadi Rum boasts a dramatic landscape of towering sandstone inselbergs and vast dune fields. The UNESCO World Heritage site is known for its cultural, historical, and physical uniqueness. Due to the hyper-arid environment and sandstone weathering, the region provides a perfect outdoor laboratory for aeolian research.

While research on aeolian processes has grown in popularity in the past century, there is a lack of conventional cartographic and visualization techniques in the field of aeolian studies. This project corroborates findings from influential aeolian researchers such as R.A. Bagnold while also implementing traditional and innovative cartographic practices. With the aim of cartographically representing sand dune morphometry and particle size distribution, a set of 71 vials of sand grains were collected from the slip face of the Umm Ishrin sand ramp in Wadi Rum, Jordan. These vials were sorted by particle size and weighed to determine the distribution of various grain sizes along the collection transect. As a result, several maps were produced as a way of effectively visualizing particle size distribution across the Umm Ishrin dune.

While the resulting maps validated the findings of previous studies in regard to typical aeolian processes, the maps also served as a conventional technique that had not been seen in previous aeolian research. As found in recent research, changes in sand dune development and mobility are indicators of Earth’s changing climate. This project serves to prove that the utilization of traditional cartographic and visualization techniques will aid in future aeolian studies as well as climate change research.

Download

Included in

Geography Commons

Share

COinS