@ARTICLE{Harchane_Smail_Mineral_2025,
 author={Harchane, Smail and Azzouzi, Nassareddine and El Hammichi, Fatima and Tabyaoui, Hassan and El Hammouch, Naoual and Lahrach, Abderrahim},
 volume={vol. 42},
 journal={Studia Quaternaria},
 pages={27-40},
 howpublished={online},
 year={2025},
 publisher={Committee for Quaternary Research PAS},
 publisher={Institute of Geological Sciences PAS},
 abstract={Morocco, like many countries in arid zones, is faced with desertification, particularly in the south and southeast. Shifting dune sand is a key indicator of this phenomenon. The study of aeolian dynamics in the Merzouga-Tafilalet region aims to understand desertification processes, from rock erosion to sediment transport and deposition. A mineralogical and granulometric analysis of dune sand was carried out to determine their composition and origin. The study was based on petrographic examination and identification of the transport mechanisms involved. The sandy deposits are predominantly composed of quartz, with the presence of oxides, heavy minerals, feldspars, micas and calcite. These elements originate from the crystalline formations of the Anti-Atlas and are transported by aeolian and hydrological processes. Analysis of the quartz grains reveals different morphologies, reflecting the history of their transport and deposition. Aeolian dynamics have led to the formation of distinct granulometric fractions, each corresponding to a specific aeolian period. The mixing of these fractions results from the alternation of strong and weak wind regimes, as well as stabilization phases linked to wind degeneration. This study provides a better understanding of the evolution of dune sand in the face of environmental change.},
 title={Mineral Composition and Aeolian Evolution of Dune Deposits in Merzouga-Tafilalet, South-Eastern Morocco},
 URL={http://ochroma.man.poznan.pl/Content/135215/3_Harchane.pdf},
 doi={10.24425/sq.2025.154324},
 keywords={Desertification, wind dynamics, dune sand, aeolian evolution, mineral composition, South-Eastern Morocco},
}