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What causes pyramidal dunes to form in the Takla Makan Desert?

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Map of Asia highlighting the location of the Takla Makan Desert in northwestern China, with the desert area shaded in orange. Surrounding regions, including parts of Europe, Africa, and the Pacific Ocean, are shown for geographic context. An inset in the top right corner provides a global view with the desert's location marked. — Takla Makan Desert The Takla Makan Desert is flanked by high mountain ranges: the Tien Shan to the north, the Kunlun Mountains to the south, and the Pamirs to the west.

In the Takla Makan Desert, the formation of pyramidal dunes—the desert's highest eolian topographic features, reaching heights of 650 to 1,000 feet—is primarily a result of the basin's complex wind conditions.1

These dunes, also known as star dunes in their smaller versions, are created by the action of strong winds blowing from various directions. In the Takla Makan, this is exemplified by the meeting of northerly and northwesterly air currents near the center of the desert, which creates a complex circulation system that is directly reflected in the topography of the dunes.23

Unlike dunes formed by consistent winds from a single direction, which typically result in crescent-shaped barchan dunes, pyramidal dunes develop where wind patterns are multidirectional. These structures are characterized by sharp-crested ridges that rise from basal points to a central peak, often resembling a star when viewed from above.42