This formation on the Adrar Plateau in the Sahara Desert on the African continent is actually a “dom”. So what is this dom?
This miraculous formation, 40 km in diameter, took this shape over time as a result of the fluctuations of the earth’s crust and covered an area so large that it could be seen even from space.
This “dom” that seems to belong to another planet is also called the “Richat Formation”.
Known as the “Eye of the Sahara”, this geological formation is an elliptical structure composed of symmetrical anticlines with a diameter of 40 km, which has been heavily eroded.
The sediments accumulating in the pits on our planet’s surface bend and rise as the plates move towards each other, causing the Richat Formation.
The main cause of the apparent circularity was thought to be an asteroid impact.
This idea was widely adopted at first, but subsequent investigations did not reveal any asteroid effects here.
If there had been a collision, shocked quartz and shattered glass would have been found. Because they are released as the effects of a high-energy impact.
The fact that it has a bluish color makes this place even more interesting.
The photo you see above was taken by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev Hermanovitch during his mission to the International Space Station in 2014.
It should also be noted that the colors are enhanced by the blending method to highlight certain geological features. It has this color due to its high magnetite content.
Therefore, it can confuse navigations by affecting the magnetic measurements around it.
The rock bottom has brown, sandy yellow and white colors. The cover in the flow channels is green and the salt deposits are blue-white.
The presence of Mauritania’s highest peak northwest of the Richat Formation makes the eye shape even more distinctive.
Accompanying this enormous structure formed in the desert, Mount Kadiet ej Jill is approximately 1,000 meters high.
Apart from all these, the number of archaeological remains in this region is quite high. It has been determined that people lived here for a while.
You can view the location of the Eye of the Sahara on the map here.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
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