Colorful Rock Folds in Northwestern Iran

Sunday - February 4 2024, 08:50 UTC - 9 months ago

Tectonic forces and erosion have shaped the Aladaghlar Mountains in Iran, exposing colorful rock folds that tell a story of millions of years. Human activity, such as building a freeway on a riverbed, is also evident in this landscape.

Tectonic forces over millions of years have shaped the Aladaghlar Mountains in northwestern Iran into a rugged and colorful landscape. From the vantage point of the International Space Station, an astronaut captured this aerial view of the region, where layers of rock form a unique pattern of folds and ridges.

As the Arabian and Eurasian plates converge, tectonic forces cause uplift and folding of the rock layers. Over time, erosion exposes these folds, revealing a vivid display of colors determined by the mineral composition of the rocks and the environmental conditions in which they formed. This natural process has resulted in the beautiful and distinctive landscape seen in this photo.

Human activity is also evident in this landscape, particularly in the riverbeds. The Qezel Ozan River, a major river in the region, can be seen cutting through the mountains and providing vital irrigation for agricultural fields. In fact, the river's wide and flat riverbed has also been utilized for building the Zanjan-Tabriz freeway, which connects two major cities in Iran.

This photo was taken on September 19, 2023, by a member of the Expedition 69 crew on the International Space Station. It has been enhanced to improve contrast and remove any lens artifacts. The images captured by astronauts are a valuable resource for scientists and the public, and the International Space Station Program aims to make them accessible to everyone.

Title: Colorful Rock Folds in Northwestern Iran .

TLDR: Colorful rock folds in the Aladaghlar Mountains of northwestern Iran were formed by tectonic forces and erosion over millions of years, creating a unique landscape that is heavily impacted by human activity.

Hashtags: #Iran #AladaghlarMountains #TectonicForces #RockLayers #Erosion #HumanImpact .