#ScienceSaturday - Expect the unexpected at Great Sand Dunes! Many visitors don't know that Great Sand Dunes has a vibrant research program, with cutting-edge scientific study of the geological, biological, and cultural resources of the park and preserve.
This helicopter carrying a large hexagonal boom was mapping subterranean layers of clay, so that scientists can better understand the geological history of the valley and dunes. With this rig, scientists have done detailed LIDAR mapping of both surface and subsurface features of the area, more clearly revealing geological processes over time and the resulting features that we see today.
NPS photo taken by Great Sand Dunes geologist Andrew Valdez.
Learn more about the geological history of the dunes on our geology pages:
https://www.nps.gov/grsa/
The scientific report from the study conducted in this photo is available here:https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/
#greatsanddunes #dunes #helicopter #LIDAR#research #science #geology#expecttheunexpected
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