Fissure in the Mojave Desert
By Land Subsidence in California
2005 (approx.)
Detailed Description
Fissure near Lucerne Lake along State Route 247 (visible in background), Mojave Desert, California. The localized subsidence in five areas near dry lake beds was caused by declining water levels in fine-grained (clay and silt) sediments. In the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins (fig. 2), the combination of variable climatic conditions, tectonic activity, and other factors resulted in complex depositional patterns of clay in the subsurface, which, combined with water-level declines, define the lateral extent and magnitude of subsidence.
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.
Related
Mojave Land-Subsidence Studies
Land subsidence has been ongoing in the dry lake beds throughout the Mojave and Morongo groundwater basins since the 1960s. In a study conducted from 2004 - 2009, continuous GPS stations were added to interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) methods to measure changes in land surface altitude.
Related
Mojave Land-Subsidence Studies
Land subsidence has been ongoing in the dry lake beds throughout the Mojave and Morongo groundwater basins since the 1960s. In a study conducted from 2004 - 2009, continuous GPS stations were added to interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) methods to measure changes in land surface altitude.