Badain Jaran Desert

Measuring over {{convert|49000|km2|sp=us}}, the Badain Jaran Desert covers a significant part of the south-central part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region as well as the North part of Gansu province. Located in the Alxa Plateau at about {{convert|1200|m|sp=us}} above sea level it is listed as a subsection to the Gobi Desert. It is bound to the north by the Gobi and to the East by Mount Lang which separates it from the Ulan Buh Desert (Pinyin: wū lán bù hé shā mò Chinese: 乌兰布和沙漠)

Although most of the dunes in the desert are not stationary, the larger ones usually ranging above {{convert|200|m|sp=us}} are static. With these dunes only the shallow surface of the sand is constantly shifting. The middle and lower layers of the highest dunes have been compacted for more than 20,000 years causing the sand particles to harden resulting in solid layers of sand and sandstone. High moisture levels inside the dunes also contribute to maintain their fixed state. This rigid structure also allows peaks, cliffs, gullies and even caves to form as a result of water erosion and desertification.

The Badain Jaran Desert, like the Tengger Desert which lies to the east (and with which the Badain Jaran Desert is currently merging due to extensive desertification) is about one-half barren, sandy desert and one-half a mixture of solid bedrock and loose gravel. Several small lakes and oases scatter the desert around which limited vegetation is able to grow.{{cite web|title=Badain Jaran Desert|url=http://www.foreignercn.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=7939:badain-jaran-desert&catid=39:inner-mongolia&Itemid=123|publisher=ForeignCN.com|access-date=May 7, 2013}}

The Badain Jaran Desert is well known for its numerous scattered and colorful lakes. Containing more than 140 lakes they are mainly found in the southern region in the desert. These lakes can easily be found in the larger valleys between large dunes. They are believed to provide the life sustenance in the desert supporting camels, goats and horses which are herded by nomads that travel through the desert. Most lakes also support a green ring of vegetation that populate the close vicinity around the lakes.

Throughout the desert some lakes change color due to large populations of algae, Brine shrimp and mineral formations at different times in year. Evaporation can also allow others to turn into a hypersaline lake forming a salt crust around the rim of the lake.{{cite web|title=Badain Jaran Desert – 巴丹吉林沙漠|url=http://www.210countries.com/destinations/off-the-beaten-path/badain-jaran-desert-巴丹吉林沙漠/|publisher=210countries|access-date=May 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109153628/http://www.210countries.com/destinations/off-the-beaten-path/badain-jaran-desert-%e5%b7%b4%e4%b8%b9%e5%90%89%e6%9e%97%e6%b2%99%e6%bc%a0/|archive-date=January 9, 2015|url-status=dead}}

Although their true sources are still debated it is believed that they are being maintained by underground water streams. Most arid deserts in China are surrounded by mountains that provide water sources, and this is the case with the Badain Jaran Desert. Runoff from the mountains is then collected through gravel deposits and this allows them to run through the desert, providing water sources for the scattered oases.

Within the desert there can be two main types of lakes found regarding their morphometry. The largely elongated shallow lakes mainly appear in the megadune area in the southeastern margin of the desert. Their depth often reaches less than {{convert|2|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=1}} and only measure about {{convert|0.2|km2|sqmi acre|sp=us}}. The oval-shaped, deep lakes can also be found in the compound transverse megadune area. Their maximum depth reaches around {{convert|15|m|sp=us|sigfig=1}} and attain a maximum size of around {{convert|1.5|km2|sqmi acre|sp=us}}. The lake water can be extremely saline. The shallow lakes in the southeastern region of the desert tend to have low salt concentration, averaging at less than {{convert|20|g/L|oz/USqt oz/impqt|sp=us}}. Other lakes can show higher salt concentrations going up to more than {{convert|330|g/L|oz/USqt oz/impqt|sp=us}}.{{cite web|last=van Vliet|first=Wilbert|title=The Mysterious Lakes in Badain Jaran Desert located in China and Mongolia|url=http://water.tallyfox.com/discussions/mysterious-lakes-badain-jaran-desert-located-china-and-mongolia|publisher=The Water Network|access-date=May 8, 2013|archive-date=May 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508103318/http://water.tallyfox.com/discussions/mysterious-lakes-badain-jaran-desert-located-china-and-mongolia|url-status=dead}}

The Badain Jaran megadunes is one of the few places where the singing sand phenomenon occurs, in which the sand emits a sharp, loud noise that can be maintained for more than a minute. Although it is not fully understood, it is believed that it is caused by an electrostatic charge that is generated as wind pulls the top layers of sand down a dune slope. This will produce a low pitched rumble that can reach over 105 decibels. The "singing" starts with an avalanche of sand down the leeward face of a large dune. This phenomenon requires very specific circumstances to generate the sound. The dunes are silent throughout winter when humidity is retained in the sand. In the summer, when the sand is dry, the booming can be generated, but only on a slope of at least 30 degrees or more, on the leeward face of a dune; the same sand on the shallow, windward side cannot generate any noise. This phenomenon is only shared by around 35 other beaches and deserts around the world.

Under the same circumstances, it is also possible to generate another acoustic phenomenon. Moving a hand gently through the dry sand of a "booming sand dune" will shear the upper layer of sand off the slope and generate a burping sound emission (pulse-like, short bursts of sound).{{cite web|title=Booming Dunes of Badain Jaran Desert|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/booming-dunes-badain-desert|publisher=Atlas Obscura|access-date=May 8, 2013}}

The Badain Jaran Desert is made up of hundreds of dunes ranging from small to large. Most of the megadunes in the desert average about {{convert|400|m|sp=us}} from the base while the rest average around {{convert|200|m|sp=us}}. Out of all the megadunes, the Bilutu Peak ("bì lǔ tú fēng", 必鲁图峰) is the most famous. It towers at {{convert|500|m|sp=us}} from the base and is the tallest dune in Asia, (third tallest in the world). Unlike most of the smaller dunes the Bilutu Peak is stationary which makes it the world's tallest stationary dune.

While the larger megadunes are stationary (with only the top layer of sand shifting), the smaller dunes are constantly shifting according to wind patterns. This makes desertification a problem in surrounding areas as the desert is constantly expanding.

The average annual rainfall is only between {{cvt|50|and|60|mm|in}} and is mainly centered between June and August; however, the evaporation of precipitation is between 40 and 80 times than that of rainfall. Winter and spring have very strong winds coming mainly from the northwest getting to more than 60 days long. These winds can get up to wind force 8.{{cite web|title=Badain Jaran desert|url=http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g297439-i9280-k4472030-Badain_Jaran_desert-Inner_Mongolia.html|publisher=Tripadvisor|access-date=May 8, 2013}}

File:Badain Jaran Temple Reflection.JPG

The Badain Jaran Temple (bā dān jí lín miào 巴丹吉林庙) is a well-preserved Tibetan-Buddhist temple located in the middle of the desert. It was built in 1868 at the side of a lake. Its isolation allowed it to survive untouched and safe from the Cultural Revolution.

File:Bilutu Peak.JPG

Bilutu Peak (必鲁图峰) is also a location which is commonly accessed using the sandjeeps. It is the world's highest stationary dune rising {{convert|450|m|sp=us}} over the surrounding area, and peaking at {{convert|1611|m|sp=us}} above sea level.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Badain Jaran Desert—Towers of Sand and Lakes |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6379/ |access-date=2022-03-18 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}} The surrounding dunes only reach about {{convert|200|m|sp=us}}. Although the biggest, it is one of several large stationary dunes within the Badain Jaran Desert.

Also known as the ancient black city, it is located in the northwestern side of the desert near the Ruo Shui River and is located fairly close to the new city of Ejin. The ancient city was a Tangut city founded in 1032 which became the center of the Tangut empire. When Genghis Khan conquered the city it flourished again under Mongol rule. However, the city fell to Chinese armies in 1372 during the Ming dynasty and was left abandoned and in ruins. It has been untouched since.

The infamous Jiabiangou Labor Camp was located on the edge of the desert and {{convert|27|km|sp=us}} from Jiuquan, Gansu. Between 1957 and 1961, the camp was used for "re-education through labor" to imprison intellectuals and former government officials that were declared to be "rightist" in the Anti-Rightist Movement of the Communist Party. Out of 3,000 prisoners, 2,500 died between 1957 and 1960, during the height of the Great Chinese Famine. The remains of the camp and the unmarked graveyards were poorly maintained and are heavily guarded by the Communist Chinese government. Relatives of the dead are only permitted during the time of Qingming. In November 2013, a memorial dedicated to the dead was quickly destroyed by the local government. Many graves and human remains were also removed since then to prevent people from visiting.[http://cn.rfi.fr/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20140519-%E8%89%BE%E6%99%93%E6%98%8E%EF%BC%9A%E5%A4%B9%E8%BE%B9%E6%B2%9F%E9%81%97%E5%9D%80%E9%81%AD%E7%A0%B4%E5%9D%8F%E4%BB%A4%E4%BA%BA%E7%97%9B%E5%BF%83 艾晓明：夹边沟遗址遭破坏令人痛心]

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150109153628/http://www.210countries.com/destinations/off-the-beaten-path/badain-jaran-desert-%e5%b7%b4%e4%b8%b9%e5%90%89%e6%9e%97%e6%b2%99%e6%bc%a0/ Basic information and tourist locations]
• [http://blog.holachina.net/?p=3183 Famous locations and traveling methods of Badain Jaran Desert]
• [http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g297439-i9280-k4472030-Badain_Jaran_desert-Inner_Mongolia.html A trip adviser blog useful for planning trips]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140508103651/http://www.chinawestguide.com/W/HdContentDisp-3-544-2012210-703434.htm Existing trip plans]

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Category:Deserts of China

Category:First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites

Category:World Heritage Sites in China