Quaternary paleodune systems are widespread on the margins of active dune fields and sand seas and in semiarid areas. Despite issues with their visualization and interpretation, luminescence ages for periods of dune accumulation and stability can provide the basis for comparison with other proxy datasets to understand the forcing factors that determine dune activity and stability. These include changes in precipitation and vegetation cover and wind strength and direction.

Sand seas and dune fields are comprised of dunes of different morphological types and sizes, areas of sand sheets, interdune deposits (including non-aeolian sediments), as well as extra-dune fluvial, lacustrine, and marine sediments. They represent the primary depositional sink of aeolian sand-transport systems. The greatest concentrations of desert sand seas and dune fields occur in mid-latitude arid regions, and the subtropical deserts and contain considerable volumes of aeolian sand. Sand seas and dune fields are generally located in topographic lows and in areas where wind energy and sand-transport rates are lower than those in adjacent sand source areas.