How does desert pavement form on stony desert plains?

Desert pavement forms on stony desert plains through the combined action of wind and water.1

The process involves several key mechanisms:

• Wind Action: Constant wind deflation removes fine-grained surface sediments, such as silt and clay, leaving behind a concentrated residue of larger pebbles, gravel, or boulders known as lag gravels.12
• Water Percolation: Infrequent precipitation causes silt particles beneath the surface to move laterally and downslope, which further concentrates the gravel at the surface.1
• Cementation: Through evaporation and capillarity, soil moisture is drawn to the surface. This process can precipitate minerals like calcium carbonate and gypsum, which may cement the pebbles together into a desert conglomerate.1

Once the pebbles are sufficiently packed and smooth, they create a stable surface that resists further wind erosion. In some regions, these surfaces may also develop a dark, glossy coating known as desert varnish, composed of iron and manganese oxides.134