The Karakum and Kyzylkum sand seas: Linking geomorphology and paleoclimate

Central Asian Sand seas are situated in the Turan basin, north-west of the Hindu Kush range, and span from south Turkmenistan to the Syr-Darya River in Kazakhstan. These ergs are dissected by the Amu-Darya River; to its north lays the Kyzylkum (red sands) and to its south the Karakum (black sands). Combined, they form one of the largest sand seas in the world. Despite its vastness, this area is understudied and sparse information has been published regarding the sands’ geomorphological evolution and processes nor any deposition ages or chronology. The lack of dune stratigraphy and numerical ages precluded any reliable assessment of the paleoclimatic significance of dunes in central Asia.
In this chapter, we aim to provide an overview of the current landscape and geomorphology using a variety of spaceborne imagery with varying spectral, temporal and spatial resolutions and based on a literature review describe the evolution of the aeolian dune forms in the area and support these with preliminary OSL dating results.