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Death Valley
Sunset on Zabriskie Point (7 AM) Badwater (86 m. under sea level)
Formation of Death Valley, which began about 3 million years ago, was accomplished along large fractures, or "faults" in the earth's brittle crust. These faults, which are still active today, allow portions, or "blocks" of the earth's crust to slip past one another, forming valleys and mountain ranges. This pool duplicates some conditions of the sea : like it, it receives water with no place else to go. Evaporation concentrates the minerals in the water so it is salty - saltier than the sea (30.6% sodium in sea water / 34% in Badwater). In spite of Death Valley's arid climate, in frequent forms were produced erosive flash flooding. Over the course of thousands of years, these floods have carved canyons and produced features such as Natural Bridges. Mica = green
Iron = yellow and and red
Manganese = purple
Sunset on Zabriskie Point (7 AM)
Formation of Death Valley, which began about 3 million years ago, was accomplished along large fractures, or "faults" in the earth's brittle crust. These faults, which are still active today, allow portions, or "blocks" of the earth's crust to slip past one another, forming valleys and mountain ranges.
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