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View from space of linear dunes in the Great Sand Sea in southwest Egypt
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View from space of linear dunes in the Great Sand Sea in southwest Egypt
May 11, 2012 - View from space of linear dunes in the Great Sand Sea in southwest Egypt. In southwestern Egypt, deep in the Sahara Desert, the action of wind dominates landscapes today much as it has done for the past several thousand years. Winds blowing from the north have fashioned sands into large dunes, aligned parallel with these winds. The so-called linear dunes shown here in the Great Sand Sea are easily seen from space. The dark patch of rock outcrop at upper right sticks up above the surface on which the dunes lie by as much as 150 meters. The north winds have been deflected around this high zone, and smaller secondary linear dunes can be seen along the right side of the image, aligned with local winds that become ever more northeasterly with nearness to the outcrops. A dune-free zone on the protected downwind (south-southeast) side of the outcrop gives a sense of the sand movement (generally from the bottom of the image towards the top).
A large, unnamed river once flowed to the Mediterranean Sea situated west of the dunes shown in this picture, dumping its sand load 300 kilometers northwest of the area shown. It is likely that this river, the evidence of which is now almost completely obliterated, was the source of the sand in the linear dunes
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Arid Climate Background Barren Blowing Brown Cartography Climate Desert Dunes Earth Observation Egypt Full Frame Geography Geology Land North Africa Outer Space Overhead View Pattern Physical Geography Repetition Sahara Sand Topography Wind Great Sand Sea View From Space
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This print captures the mesmerizing view from space of linear dunes in the Great Sand Sea, located in southwest Egypt. The vast Sahara Desert is dominated by the relentless force of wind, shaping and sculpting landscapes for thousands of years. These winds blowing from the north have molded sands into magnificent parallel dunes that are clearly visible even from outer space. In this image, we can observe a dark patch of rock outcrop at the upper right corner, rising above the surface where these majestic dunes lie. This elevated zone has deflected the north winds around it, resulting in smaller secondary linear dunes along the right side of the picture. These secondary dunes align with local winds that gradually shift towards a northeasterly direction as they approach closer to the outcrops. On the protected downwind side (south-southeast) of this prominent rock formation lies a fascinating dune-free zone. This area gives us an insight into sand movement within this region, indicating a general flow from bottom to top in this image. Interestingly, situated west of these stunning dunes once flowed a large river that stretched all the way to Mediterranean Sea. Over time, it deposited its massive load of sand approximately 300 kilometers northwest from where we see today's landscape. Although evidence of this ancient river has almost entirely vanished now, it is believed to be responsible for supplying sand to form these remarkable linear dunes. (Photo credit: Stocktrek Images)
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