photo #6386524

In South America, strong north-westerly or westerly winds often race down the eastern slopes of the Andes mountain range and across the open plains of Patagonia. There, the winds meet a lake in Argentina called Lago Colhué Huapi, which has variable water levels and sometimes almost dries up completely. That is when the lake’s dry bed acts as a great source of dust. This is readily picked up by the wind and carried far out to sea. In this image taken from NASA’s Aqua satellite, the lake is hidden from view by the stream of dust originating from its shores. It is located just to the right of the visible, dust-free, Lago Musters. The enormous stream of lake dust can reach as far as east Antarctica, where it can affect snow- and ice-melt rates. Minerals in the dust can also be a significant fertiliser for the South Atlantic Ocean, contributing to phytoplankton blooms.