006 Dune 45 in Sossusvlei at sunrise Photo by Giles Laurent

A CLOSER LOOK

Dune 45 in Sossusvlei (Namibia) at sunrise. Dune 45 is composed of iron-rich quartz sand, whose deepening red tones result from the gradual oxidation of iron over millions of years. The sand grains originated from sediments carried by the Orange River into the Atlantic Ocean and transported northward by coastal currents before being blown inland by strong south-westerly winds. The Namib Desert itself is considered one of the oldest deserts on Earth—at least 5 million years old, and possibly up to 55–80 million years in its broader geological history. The dune fields around Sossusvlei, including Dune 45, are thought to have formed in their present configuration over the last 2–3 million years

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