The dunes at White Sands National Monument are composed of gypsum and calcium sulfate. Unlike other desert sands, it is cool to the touch.


The dunes at White Sands National Monument are composed of gypsum and calcium sulfate. Unlike other desert sands, it is cool to the touch, due to the high rate of evaporation of surface moisture and the fact that the sands reflect, rather than absorb, the sun's rays. At 1185 meters above sea level, there are approximately 442 square kilometers of dune fields and is known to be the world's largest surface deposit of gypsum.[


Size: 4928px × 3264px
Location: White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA
Photo credit: © Sandra Foyt / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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