Barchans of Minqin: Morphometry

The barchans on the border of Minqin oasis, China, were surveyed. Our data reconfirmed that the height of slipface is proportional to the width of horns and the baseline can be roughly described by parts of an ellipse and a parabola. We attempted to study dune geomorphology using the theory of differential geometry. The geometrical characteristics of the brink can be quantitatively determined by its curvature and torsion.