Monday, February 23, 2009

Sailing Stones

Sailing stones are still somewhat of a mystery to science.
The sailing stones, also referred to as sliding rocks or moving rocks, are a geological phenomenon found in Racetrack Playa, Death Valley. The stones are assumed to slowly move across the surface of the playa, inferred from the long tracks behind them, without human or animal intervention. They have neither been seen nor filmed in motion and are not unique to The Racetrack. Similar rock travel patterns have been recorded in several other playas in the region but the number and length of travel grooves on The Racetrack are notable. Racetrack stones only move once every two or three years and most tracks last for just three or four years. Stones with rough bottoms leave straight striated tracks while those with smooth bottoms wander. Stones sometimes turn over, exposing another edge to the ground and leaving a different-sized track in the stone's wake. More @ wiki

3 comments:

  1. mmmm, strange spooky force. I guess wind and rain. What else?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I read on wiki that it can freeze in Death Valley. I can imagine water in the dry cracks freezing, expanding and thereby lifting the stone a little bit or at least make it easier to move.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Water, wind and ice are implicated yes. But the exact mechanism still remains unknown.

    ReplyDelete