The Adrar Plateau in northern Mauritania is a historic desert landscape, featuring Paleolithic tools, Neolithic cave paintings, and medieval caravan town ruins. From above, the area reveals natural formations like colorful sand dunes and dry river channels.
A prominent feature is the Risha Structure, known as the “Eye of the Sahara,” which consists of concentric ridges. Initially thought to be an impact crater, it was later identified as a deeply eroded geological dome formed from rock uplifted over igneous material. Various erosion rates of the exposed rocks created the circular ridges, with distinct orange and gray hues representing different rock types.
The structure gained global attention after NASA astronauts photographed it during the Gemini 4 mission, highlighting its unique geological significance.
Source link
