An ever evolving landscape - Orog Nuur, Mongolia
Avatar

An ever evolving landscape - Orog Nuur, Mongolia

by Jorien van der Wal, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

At the transition from the Gobi Altay ranges to the Valley of the Lakes in SW Mongolia, the Ikh Bogd mountain towers almost 3000 m above the aridifying endorheic Orog Nuur Basin. The actively deforming mountain front shows traces of multiple earthquakes, which in turn affect the alluvial sediments deposited in the basin. Simultaneously, strong southeast-ward winds create beautiful barchan dunes. This photo reflects the interplay of multiple dynamic factors that shape and influence the landscape system.