Structure Richat

– Traveler;
– Photographer;
– Computer network specialist;
– Candidate of Biological Sciences.

Punched by the study of high-mountain ecosystems, travel photography and human behavior in extreme environmental conditions.

The structure of Richat itself is located twenty kilometers east of Wadhan and the road from the outpost here is no longer: the jeep rushes at virgin. Knowing that now is in front of me, I can even imagine this ring. But only – to imagine: the diameter of the external circle is equal to almost fifty kilometers and to reach this magnificence, standing on Earth – it is impossible. You can only evaluate the scope of pictures. Space pictures, of course.

View from Cosmos. Photo NASA.

I wonder if the first Arabs who conquered the Moorish sands, about the strict geometry of the place nicknamed by them Guell-Er-Richat? I think no. Otherwise, a lot of mystical stories and revelations would have accumulated. However, without ancient mention, this education is not a joke puzzling modern scientists.

Dunes before Rishat.

External Ring. View from the outside.

Blue Stones Richat. According to my assumptions, the color is caused by iron oxides, in particular – magnetite. But it looks, however, mysteriously.

The structure of Rishat was first discovered in 1965 by the GEMINI spacecraft epiprage. And so far in the scientist of the world there is no consensus about the reason for the occurrence of this geological education.

Inside the structure richat.

Initial Version: Structure Richat – Meteorite Fall Place. And the blow of the meteorite came at right angles to the earth’s surface. The version impresses me, that’s just on the surrounding rocks there are no traces of shock impact.

Overnight in the center of the structure.

The second version – the echo of extinct supervulkan, which fell inside over time. Also great, only volcanic rocks are not observed.

The third version is an aliens landing place, star gates or, in general, here was Atlantis. This option, perhaps, leave no comment.

To the latest version – to the fact that the structure of Richat arose as a result of erosion – the majority of specialists leans. True, in this case it is impossible to explain the strict geometry of the object.

Age of solid structure: the largest ring is about 600 million years. But lovers of all kinds of damns should be disappointed – there are no abnormal zones and camels in the very structure itself and there are several families of shepherds. Yes, and we did not bother to spend a quiet night in the very center of "Oka Desert".

By the way, most tourist sites typing at least some information about Mauritania, write about the hotel in the center of the structure Richat. Others even attribute the hotel a couple of stars. So – there is no hotel there, and therefore, probably can’t – tourists wanders too much. And it is extremely pleased with me.

Structure Richat. View from Google Map.
pay attention to "Mini Richat" Left from the structure.

Image from the LandSat 7 orbital satellite. Photo NASA.

Topographic reconstruction (scale 6: 1 by vertical axis) Richat structure
from satellite photos. Colors Denote: Non-Breed – Brown, Sand – Yellow and White, Vegetation – Green, Sediment Breed – Blue.