Abstract
Star dunes are the tallest dunes on Earth and are amongst the larger and more spectacular aeolian landforms. Although they are widespread in modern sandy deserts, star dunes are rarely recognised in the rock record probably due to a lack of suitable sedimentary models. This paper presents a new sedimentary model for the structure of a star dune at Erg Chebbi in Morocco (Sahara Desert) on the basis of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys. Individual sedimentary structures in star dunes are similar to those in linear or barchanoid dunes, likely leading to misidentification in the rock record. However, the suite of features described in this paper will permit identification of star dunes in future studies of the rock record. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating shows that accumulation of the Erg Chebbi star dune post-dates the end of the African Humid Period (AHP). At the base of the dune, there is an ~ 8000-year hiatus in the record. Since then, the dune has grown rapidly to create a 100 m high dune within the past 1000 years and is migrating towards the west. Changes in the cross-strata support the idea that star dune construction was accompanied by a change in the wind directions.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 4464 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Scientific Reports |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 04 Mar 2024 |
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Structure and chronology of a star dune at Erg Chebbi, Morocco, reveals why star dunes are rarely recognised in the rock record'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Press/Media
-
Ancient Star Dune Discovery Unravels 13,000-Year-Old Mystery
29 Mar 2024
3 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media coverage
-
Scientists unearth mysteries of giant, moving Moroccan star dune
04 Mar 2024
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media contribution