May 26, 2013 - Satellite view showing the unique geology of the ring dikes and the relative isolation of the formation. The dark
May 26, 2013 - Satellite view showing the unique geology of the ring dikes and the relative isolation of the formation. The dark round domes of the Aïr Mountains rise out of the Sahara Desert, a chain of islands in a sea of sand. It formed when magma flowed in to pre-existing cracks and caverns in the bedrock, a geologic formation called a dike. The bubble-shaped mounds are ring dikes, which formed when the ceiling of a magma chamber collapsed, leaving a circular crack that was later filled with magma. Through time and the constant movement of Earth's crust, these magma intrusions have been lifted and moved together, an isolated piece of geology different from its surroundings. The mountains are now 2,000 meters (7,000 feet) tall.
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Photo credit: © Stocktrek Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
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