Moving stones are a particular geological phenomenon that consists in the movement of stones for long paths, without the intervention of humans or animals, which takes place in Racetrack Playa, a dry lake that extends into the Death Valley, California. The mechanism by which the movement of these stones takes place has not been fully understood for several decades until it has been shown that the stones slide on the ice thanks to the action of the wind. The study was published in August 2014.
The movement of the stones generally begins every 2-3 years and can continue for 3-4 years. The stones that have a rough lower part make straight paths, while the stones that have a smooth lower part tend to deviate their trajectory. Sometimes, during their movement, the stones can turn, offering a different face to the contact with the ground. The length and direction of the paths are quite variable: stones that have started their movement simultaneously can follow different paths and stones of the same shape and size can travel different distances.
Many moving stones of the Racetrack Playa begin their path from a high dark dolomite slope south of the valley, while other moving stones are made up of igneous rocks coming from nearby slopes (many of which are formed by reddish sienite rich in feldspar). The furrows dug by the movement of the stones generally have a length that can vary from a few meters to a few dozen, a width varying between 8–30 cm and a depth of less than 2.5 cm
Racetrack Playa
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