Cameras capture “zebra stripes” in the Atacama desert

We successfully installed four self-reliant and automatic cameras each at three different hillslopes to capture (non-)changes of the earth surface daily in the next three years. The setup and future automatic processing to derive series of 3D-models to perform change detection is part of a DFG project led by the University of Cologne (1,2,3). This research project aims to improve the understanding of geomorphological processes in extremely hyper-arid environments by studying sediment production and transport in the Atacama Desert, focusing on mysterious landforms called "zebra stripes." The project combines fieldwork and monitoring with dating techniques to analyze these landforms. The results will enhance knowledge of landscape evolution, climate impact on drylands, and even planetary geomorphology, as the Atacama is considered Earth's closest analog to Mars.

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