The Richat Structure or Eye of the Sahara or Earth























Eye of the Sahara ? Mauritania



The Eye of the Sahara is a magnificent landform located in the southwestern area

of the Sahara desert. Geologists originally thought the formation was crated when

a meteorite hit the earth, but now believe it was caused by erosion. Still, the

massive 30 mile diameter and the fact that it has a circular shape makes the formation

quite a mystery.



This spectacular landform in Mauritania in the southwestern part of the Sahara desert

is so huge with a diameter of 30 miles that it is visible from space. Called

Richat Structure --or the Eye of the Sahara-- the formation was originally thought to

be caused by a meteorite impact but now geologists believe it is a product of uplift

and erosion. The cause of its circular shape is still a mystery.



The part of the sedimentary rock corresponding to the white of the eye is a plateau

standing some 200 m above the sand desert. The Richat Structure corresponding to the

iris of the eye lies in a depression, and the peak of the outer rim is 485 m above sea

level. The Richat Structure consists of Early Paleozoic rocks, some 600 million years old.

Around the center, rocks resistant to weathering and erosion (purple and blue-green part)

make 100 m high ridges, and nonresistant rocks (yellow and brown part) form valleys. These

features alternate and are concentric.