MSGID: 1:317/3 649f182a
PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08
TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08
June 30, 2023 - Badain Jaran and Tengger Desert

   [image06302023_main.jpg]
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   On June 29, 2023, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
   (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of
   two deserts that stretch across western Inner Mongolia, China, each
   marked by swaths of dark tan sand.

   In the west, the Badain Jaran stretches across an area roughly the size
   of Costa Rica. Badain Jaran is famous for a vast field of megadunes,
   which tower between 660 to 980 feet (200 to 300 meters) high. The
   tallest is the Bilutu Sand Peak, said to be the tallest sand dune on
   Earth. It measures 1,500 feet (460 meters) tall, or roughly the same
   height as New York’s Empire State Building. The extremely arid Badain
   Jaran holds other surprises, too. Despite the fact that this desert
   receives less than 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each year, dozens of lakes
   speckle the sandy environment, especially in the southeast. The most
   stunning is Honghaizi, which has been called the “heart of the Earth”
   due to its red-tinted waters. More than 110 species of birds have been
   recorded near Honghaizi, including migrants and year-round residents.

   The Tengger Desert is situated to the south and east of Badain Jaran
   and at the southern edge of the massive Gobi Desert. It is an inland
   drainage basin, although it is very far from any ocean or even frequent
   rain. It is the fourth largest desert in China, but it is also dotted
   with dozens of lakes, including Swan Lake and Moon Lake which can be
   visited. “Tengger” means “sky” in Mongolian, and is said to be a
   description of the rolling sands meeting an apparently endless sky.
   Swans migrate across the lake region of the Tengger Desert in both
   spring and autumn, drawing birdwatchers to this unique location.

   Image Facts
   Satellite:
   Date Acquired: 6/29/2023
   Resolutions:
   Bands Used:
   Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-06-30
 
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