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2   Abstract

The effects of the processes of erosion and deposition are extrememly varied, as can be seen from the wide variety of features in a natural landscape. This large variety is a result of many different variables. This thesis proposes a model for creating some of these characteristic features, with the focus being primarily on sand particles. The model is a very simplified approximation to the processes that occur in the natural world. The modeling technique chosen is particle systems. Particle systems lend themselves very well to this problem, as erosion and deposition are themselves processes involving particles. The rules describing the behaviour of the particles in the model are a mixture of real, physical laws, and simple approximations designed to reflect actual behaviour. The results from this model are compared with natural sand formations found in the natural world. A number of features are produced by the model which are reflections of features found in nature.