Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Ntwetwe Pan (5)



Far to the west of the north-south road is what it is called the "land of a thousand islands".

Reflecting a chaotic climatic past, these numerous "islands" are in fact sand dunes stranded on the surface of the ancient lake bed, and they are one of the most fascinating features of the Botswana wilderness.



They are evidence of much more arid times, when the lake temporarily dried, and barchan (crescent-shaped shifting) dunes, steep and concave on their leeward sides, convex on their windward sides, began to advance across its baked and bare surface.

* Horseshoe-shaped dunes are known as barchan dunes.
* Linear dunes in semi-parallel lines (best seen in Botswana's west and southwest) are referred to as alab dunes.




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http://magicmadagascar.blogspot.com
http://magicmozambique.blogspot.com

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