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Wahibah Sands, Oman (April 1993)

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Wahibah Sands in eastern Oman is a small coastal sand desert that borders the Arabian Sea. The desert demonstrates the results of erosion and deposits caused by running water and wind in this region where the climate has undergone considerable changes. Most sand dunes in Wahibah Sands are north-south oriented, longitudinal dunes. Meandering streams form an extensive pattern as they spread south from the rugged Eastern Hajar Mountains in the north. The Hajars, with major peaks exceeding 7000 feet (2100 meters) above sea level, were formed by the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates. Masirah Island is visible off the southeast coast of Oman.

Wetlands of the Middle East (March 1990)

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The northern end of the Persian Gulf provides a sharp contrast to the arid-looking wetlands of northeast Kuwait (Bubiyan Island), the narrow corridor of Iraq, and the west-southwest marshes of Iran. The delta of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers has suffered substantial environmental changes because of drainage, pollution, and urban and industrial development. Water normally supplied to the region has been diverted for irrigation and domestic and industrial consumption; wetlands have been drained for agriculture and industrial purposes; and the construction of dams has decreased the amount of fresh water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, resulting in small quantities of silt being deposited in the delta of these once mighty rivers. The boundaries for Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran are not easily distinguishable in this photograph. The large dark area in Iran appears to be a freshwater marsh. Because natural materials are used for construction, the few towns and villages within the delta area tend to blend with the natural environment.

Wind Streaks of Northern Chad, Chad (October 1988)

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The dynamic forces of nature are very evident in this high-oblique, southwest-looking photograph of northern Chad. In addition to producing dramatic expression in wind streaks aligned northeast-southwest, nature has created a unique landscape of well-entrenched, wind-eroded patterns by the predominate wind that begins in the Libyan Desert, blows toward the southwest across the Djourab Sand Region of central Chad, and is funneled between the two more resistant landform features—the Tibesti Mountains and the Ennedi Plateau (both dark colored). The Tibesti Mountains, which are mainly volcanic in origin (northwestern edge of the photograph), are the highest mountains in the Sahara Desert and cover a much broader areal extent than the Ennedi Plateau, a sandstone plateau (eastern edge of the photograph) less resistant to wind and water erosion forces; thus, the plateau is being eroded at a higher rate than the Tibesti Mountains. When wind speeds attain sufficient velocities, sand particles are transported in the lower atmosphere causing a duststorm, such as the one that is pictured here in the Djourab Sand Region of central Chad. Two dark features are barely visible toward the southern horizon—the vague outline of Lake Chad and the vegetative transition zone known as the Sahel (the greening line) where the nonvegetated desert meets the semiarid grassland region of southern Chad.

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