The White Desert, Accretionary Wedge #37




Mushrooms Image via Wikipedia
White desert, Egypt

The White Desert is located at the northern region of the Farafra Oasis. I had visited it within field trip to western desert. The white desert has been classified by government of Egypt as a natural protected zone in 2002 and covers an area of 3010 square kilometers. It's far 570 km from Cairo. The White desert is a unique geological phenomenon; where wind and water erosion sculptured their way through the soft chalk forming incredible shapes "Mushrooms". Along the road Baharia - Farafra, the main geological observations as many isolated hills and hillocks consisting almost of massive bedded, snow white chalk of Maastrichtian Khoman Formation. There are many fascinating geomorphologic feature accompanied the carbonate rocks of the plateau surface such as cave deposits and onyx,
collapse breccia, stalactite and stalagmite terra rosa deposits and karst terraces, bridges and cave pillars.

 The white desert photos on flickr.

 The white desert area represents an open museum of geology, paleontology and natural history. As a geologist i consider it as the most beauty geology formation in Egypt and perhaps in the world.

 Enjoy the camel caravan documentary into the most unusual White Desert of Egypt.
http://youtu.be/0HSVoJ8hESQ

 Walking through the White Desert is a monumental experience!

 This post submitted to Accretionary Wedge #37 hosted by Lockwood DeWitt, for details and other geobloggers posts visit Outside The Interzone: Call For Posts, Accretionary Wedge #37.
Location: Egypt

Comments

  1. @cbdawson24/08/2011, 11:03

    What a gorgeous spot! The more time I spend in deserts, the more fascinated I am with the geology. However, I don't think I will get to see the White Desert, so the video was very interesting (including the camels!).

    ReplyDelete
  2. Have you seen a Karst? | Living Life in Colour25/08/2011, 00:22

    [...] The White Desert, Accretionary Wedge #37 (bnselim.wordpress.com) [...]

    ReplyDelete
  3. Abdelrhman Selim29/08/2011, 11:42

    Thanks, try to visit Egypt, it has a fascinating geological places.

    ReplyDelete
  4. asmaa28/04/2014, 11:28

    can you guide me to find a geological research about the white desert?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Abdelrhman Selim28/04/2014, 18:31

    What is your research about specifically?

    ReplyDelete

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