Weird Places Mauritania's Eye of the Sahara

The Eye of the Sahara, also known as the Richat Structure, is a geological marvel located in Mauritania. Spanning 50 kilometers, it is best viewed from space and was used as a landmark by early NASA missions. Initially thought to be a crater, it is now understood to be a deeply eroded geological dome formed over 100 million years ago. The dome's formation involved the uplift of rock layers due to magma activity beneath the Earth's surface. Over time, erosion, accelerated by hydrothermal water, wore away the softer sedimentary rocks, leaving behind a unique concentric landscape of harder metamorphic and igneous rocks.

What is the Eye of the Sahara primarily known for?

• A site of ancient volcanic activity

• Its use as a landmark by NASA

• Being a large meteor crater

• A famous tourist attraction

What geological process led to the formation of the Richat Structure?

• Meteor impact

• Volcanic eruption

• Erosion by wind and water

• Uplift of a geologic dome

How did the Richat Structure's anticline form?

• Through the collision of tectonic plates

• By the weakening of the Earth's lithosphere

• Due to a volcanic eruption

• From a large meteor impact

What type of rocks are found at the center of the Richat Structure?

• Oldest metamorphic rocks

• Fossil-rich rocks

• Igneous rocks

• Young sedimentary rocks

Why do the different layers of the Richat Structure erode at different rates?

• Due to human activity

• Due to varying mineral compositions

• Because of different ages of the rocks

• Because of the presence of fossils