The Physics of Blown Sand and Desert Dunes (1941) is a science book, written by Ralph A. Bagnold. The book laid the foundations of the scientific investigation of the transport of sand by wind. It also discusses the formation and movement of sand dunes in the Libyan Desert. During his expeditions into the Libyan Desert, Bagnold had been fascinated by the shapes of the sand dunes, and after returning to England he built a wind tunnel and conducted the experiments which are the basis of the book. The book is still a main reference in the field, and was, for instance, used by NASA for studying sand dunes on Mars. It was recently reissued by Dover.
Famous quotes containing the words physics, blown, sand and/or desert:
“We must be physicists in order ... to be creative since so far codes of values and ideals have been constructed in ignorance of physics or even in contradiction to physics.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“I climb to the tower-top and lean upon broken stone,
A mist that is like blown snow is sweeping over all,
Valley, river, and elms, under the light of a moon
That seems unlike itself, that seems unchangeable,
A glittering sword out of the east.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“The desert encroaches on the garden. No matter. Sand will do as well as flowers.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“Three people marooned on a desert island would soon reinvent politics.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)