The Richat structure , nicknamed “the eye of Africa” , is a geological structure located in the Sahara in Mauritania near Ouadane.
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It is believed that Richat was formed between the late Proterozoic and Ordovician. Previously, it was assumed that the ring structure is an impact crater , but this hypothesis is not consistent with the flat shape of the bottom and the complete absence of rocks with traces of impact. The formation of the structure as a result of a volcanic eruption also seems highly unlikely due to the lack of a dome of igneous or volcanic rocks.
The wide dissemination of images and explanations relating to this unusual phenomenon has encouraged the arrival of visitors, tourists or scientists, to this remote place on the planet.The site was classified by the IUGS in 2022 among the first 100 sites of the world’s geological heritage.
Access : Coordinates: 21.124, -11.402 / The richat structure or the eye of the Sahara located in the western Sahara desert within the borders of Mauritania.
Highlights :
- The structure, which has a diameter of almost 50 kilometers, has attracted attention since the first space missions because it forms a rare porthole in the monotonous expanse of the desert. That is why it is also known as the “eye of the Sahara” or “eye of Africa”.
- Since the structure is particularly conspicuous to see from space, it was used by astronauts on shuttle missions as a landmark for orientation.
Go next : The town of Ouadane . a historically important city in the Adrar region of north-west Mauritania on the Adrar Plateau.
