Controls on aeolian activity: some new perspectives from the Kelso Dunes, Mojave Desert, California

The extent and intensity of aeolian processes in the Kelso aeolian geomorphic system of the Mojave Desert have varied in a complex way in time and space. Geomorphic, stratigraphic, and sedimentologic studies allow the identification of areas of relict, dormant, and active dunes. In this area, dune activity has been affected by sediment supply, climatic changes (including changes in the seasonal distribution as well as the amount of precipitation), and topographic position. Understanding of the factures that influence dune activity has been facilitated by knowledge of the history of aeolian activity and its relationship to regional environmental change.