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The park's primary feature is the field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. The gypsum dunefield is the largest of its kind on Earth. [7] The park protects 115 sq mi (300 km 2) of the 275 sq mi (710 km 2) dunefield, about 42%, while the remaining 160 sq mi (410 km 2) are located to the north within White Sands Missile Range. [3]
A national monument until 2019, White Sands National Park is home to the largest gypsum dune field in the world – gypsum being a soft sulfate mineral used in materials like plaster. The 275 ...
A national monument until 2019, White Sands National Park is home to the largest gypsum dune field in the world – gypsum being a soft sulfate mineral used in materials like plaster. The 275 ...
The prints were laid on the shores of the now-dry lake at a time when the climate in the region was less arid. Instead of being an arid desert of gypsum dunes, the region had extensive grasslands and abundant vegetation. The prints were found in seven soil layers and provide evidence of human occupation spanning approximately 2000 years.
Dunes are made of sand-sized particles, and may consist of quartz, calcium carbonate, snow, gypsum, or other materials. The upwind/upstream/upcurrent side of the dune is called the stoss side; the downflow side is called the lee side.
Surface water that does not evaporate or soak into the ground eventually accumulates at playas (intermittently dry lake beds), the largest of which is Lake Lucero, at 3888 feet elevation, at the southwest end of the White Sands dunes. The White Sands are a 710-km 2 (275-mi 2) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals.
Most of the terrain is ergs, with sand dunes up to 250 metres (820 ft) high, interspersed with gravel and gypsum plains. [3] [5] The sand is reddish-orange due to the presence of feldspar. [5] There are also brackish salt flats in some areas, such as the Umm al Samim area on the desert's eastern edge. [5] Ali Al-Naimi reports that the sand ...
Gypsum deposits washed from the range are a main source of the gypsum sand that makes up the dunes in White Sands National Park. The Sacramento Mountains form the easternmost part of the rift system centered on the rift valley of the Rio Grande.