Ancient Moroccan Star Dune’s 13,000-Year History Revealed by British Scientists

The results of the study published in the Scientific Reports journal and conducted by the British professors Geoff Duller from the University of Aberystwyth in Wales, and Charlie Bristow from Birkbeck University of London on the star-shaped dune Lala Lallia, were unveiled on Monday. The scientists used advanced luminescence dating techniques. The results obtained show that this dune was formed 13,000 years ago, in Erg Chebbi, near Merzouga, in southeastern Morocco. It rises to a height of about 100 m and extends over a width of 700 m. It stands as a witness to the relentless forces of wind and time. This dune "embodies the resilience and dynamism of desert landscapes," as it is composed of about 5.5 million tons of sand, reports Reuters. Formed 13,000 years ago, Lala Lallia ceased to grow for about 8,000 years, before resuming its expansion over the past millennia. It will then be sculpted over a period of about 900 years, with an annual accumulation of about 6,400 tons of sand. It moves westward at a speed of about 0.5 meters per year.

The British scientists also examined several similar formations as part of the study on Lala Lallia, highlighting the rapid formation and movement of these dunes. They cross the desert landscape at about 50 cm per year. Star dunes represent just under 10% of the world’s desert dunes. They surpass other types such as crescent-shaped barchan dunes and straight and long linear dunes in both stature and complexity. "I first encountered star dunes in Namibia 20 years ago and was immediately struck by their size," recalls geographer Geoff Duller