In a ground-breaking study, experts have finally solved the puzzle of the age of the world’s greatest star sand dunes. According to the BBC, these dunes, also known as ‘Star dunes’ or ‘pyramid dunes,’ are named for their unusual formations and can reach heights of hundreds of metres. They are found in deserts such as the sand seas of Africa, Arabia, China, and North America, as well as Mars and Saturn’s moon Titan. Prof Geoff Duller of Aberystwyth’s Department of Geography and Earth Sciences stated, “They are extraordinary things, one of the world’s natural wonders.” From the ground, they resemble pyramids, but from the air, you see a peak with arms shooting off it in three or four directions, giving them the appearance of stars.
For the first time, astronomers have assessed the age of a star dune in Morocco known as Lala Lallia
For the first time, astronomers have assessed the age of a star dune in Morocco known as Lala Lallia. The scientists employed luminescence dating to determine the age of the star dune. The approach determines when the grains of sand were last exposed to daylight. The UK research team travelled to the southeast of Morocco to inspect the Lala Lallia, which stands 100 meters tall and 700 meters broad. According to The Guardian, they determined that the dune’s base was 13,000 years old, but the higher half of the structure had just formed within the last 1,000 years. The dune takes 900 years to create and grows by 6,400 metric tonnes yearly. Following the initial formation, it stopped growing for about 8,000 years and then quickly expanded in the past several thousand years.
These findings, according to researchers, support the theory that the star dune’s formation was accompanied by a change in wind direction over the years. Birkbeck University’s and fellow study co-author Charlie Bristow explained, ”Star dunes are formed in areas with complex wind regimes, which means winds blowing from different directions, and net sand accumulation, points within the desert where big piles of sand can be blown around to form giant dunes. They form extraordinary and awe-inspiring landscapes… From the ground, they can be intimidating, mobile mountains of sand.”