There is a volcanic ash dune of sand situated near Olduvai Gorge which are slowly moving and have therefore been called the “shifting sands.” These crescent-shaped mounds are a remarkable phenomenon. Technically they are known as barkan, and they result if there is sufficient dust on the ground and a unidirectional wind to blow it. The dust collects around a stone, and this collection accumulates more. The process continues, with the mound growing all the time, and then it begins to move. The crescents have their two sharp arms pointing the way the wind is going, and the whole shape is beautifully symmetrical.
Shifting Sand Dune
These sand dunes have been moving and there are sticks in the ground as to where it was over the last few years.
Assignment
1. Take a photo with your GPS at the sands
2. In your log post the coordinates are the center of the sand dune so we can track the progress on this site
3. Send me an e-mail stating how fast the dunes are moving (in feet per year) based on the distance between the year sticks
1/7/15 Update - Looks like the sands are around S 02° 56.700 E 035° 18.838 so please use these coordinates