Sand barkhan. What is a barkhan and what is its role in the life of the desert?

A boundless sea of sand is a familiar landscape for the desert. It is difficult to imagine a place less adapted to life than this. And yet, even here live animals and people, accustomed not only to the unimaginable heat, but also to the changeable nature of this wasteland.

And if we talk about the desert, we should not lose sight of the phenomenon of a barkhan. What is a barkhan, it would seem, is easy to imagine. But even he can conceal amazing secrets, knowledge of which is extremely important for survival in the desert.

So, the barkhan - what is it?

First, we will understand the information that the geographical community gives us. So, based on their data, the barkhan is a huge accumulation of sand, which subsequently forms hills or small mountains. Barkhan always has a curved shape, something reminiscent of a sickle or crescent. But how is the barkhan formed? What is it, and by what laws does it exist?

In reality, everything is very simple. Barkhan is formed due to the breeze of the wind, which drives the sand from one place to another. This action resembles the movement of water in the world's ocean, with its ripples and waves. And if after the end of the wind the surface of the sea again becomes smooth, then in the desert everything is quite different. When the calm comes, here everything stops in place, as if time has stopped and does not want to move on.

Life in the sandy wasteland

People living in a desert area often have to lead a nomadic way of life. After all, even when their homes are within an oasis, they still somehow need to procure food, resources and medicines. Therefore, from time immemorial, they are engaged in trade between settlements, making many kilometers of routes through the desert.

That's why they know well what a barkhan is, and how cunning it can be. In fact, unlike the usual hill, the barkhan does not stand in one place. Under the influence of strong winds, he wanders from place to place, which greatly complicates the life of the pathfinders. That is why desert residents from early childhood study the laws by which the barkhans move. Otherwise, how can they master the expanses of the desert then?

Barkhans: severe and slightly dramatic

But how do the inhabitants of the East see the barkhan? What is a barkhan for them: a stern enemy or a silent companion on the road? Probably, everything depends on the person himself and on how he looks at the world. After all, some complain about fate, while others accept its challenges, with its head held high.

The same applies to barkhans. Someone sees them as enemies, and someone finds them beautiful. After all, when the sand under your feet swiftly falls down, it seems that the dunes begin to sing. And this song fascinates those who gave their hearts to the vast horizons of the desert.