Sahara desert patterns

Ribbons of Saharan sand dunes seem to glow in sunset colors, seen through the “eyes” of Landsat satellite sensor.

Above: Erg Chech at sunset in southwestern Sahara, Algeria.   Image credit: USGS/NASA/Landsat 7

These patterned stripes are part of Erg Chech, a desolate sand sea in southwestern Algeria, Africa, where the prevailing winds create an endlessly shifting collage of large, linear sand dunes. The term “erg” is derived from an Arabic word for a field of sand dunes.

Source NASA