The origin of loess plateau, that is, the source of loess, is generally recognized as "aeolian theory", which is mainly aeolian deposits under the dry and cold climate conditions of Quaternary Ice Age.
In the dry and cold climate, the inland climate in the western part of the Loess Plateau is drier, and a large area of sand is exposed. Under the action of the northwest wind, a large amount of dust is transported to the Loess Plateau, deposited due to the weakening of the wind, and finally forms a thick loess accumulation year after year.
2. The surface morphology of the Loess Plateau is formed by flowing water erosion.
Because the Loess Plateau is located in the monsoon climate zone, the precipitation is concentrated in summer, and it is prone to heavy rain, which leads to large surface runoff, and the water flow speed is faster because of the large topographic fluctuation.
In addition, the loess itself has very loose soil, low vegetation coverage and lack of soil protection. Therefore, the flowing water erosion in this area is very strong, forming the rugged surface morphology of the Loess Plateau.
Extended data
The Loess Plateau, located in the north-central part of China, is one of the four plateaus in China, one of the birthplaces of ancient civilization in China, and the most concentrated and largest loess area on the earth. It spans most or part of Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan provinces, and is mainly composed of Shanxi Plateau, Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Plateau, Longzhong Plateau and Hetao Plain.
The loess plateau is high in the northwest and low in the southeast, and fluctuates from northwest to southeast. The Loess Plateau is bounded by Liupan Mountain and Luliang Mountain, and is divided into three parts: east, middle and west. The western part of the Loess Plateau is 2000-3000 meters above sea level, which is the highest area on the Loess Plateau.
The elevation of the central part of the Loess Plateau between Liupanshan and Luliang Mountain is1000-2000m, which is the main part of the Loess Plateau. The eastern part of the Loess Plateau, east of Luliang Mountain, has a terrain of 500- 1000 meters, and the valley plains account for a large proportion.
Accordingly, the Loess Plateau can be divided into mountainous area, loess hilly area, loess plateau area, loess plateau area and valley plain area.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Loess Plateau