Geochemical, mineralogical, and geomorphological characterization of ash materials as a tracer for the origin of shifting sands near Oldupai Gorge, Ngorongoro, Tanzania

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dc.contributor.authorMakongoro, Mohamed Zengo
dc.contributor.authorVegi, Maheswara Rao
dc.contributor.authorVuai, Said Ali Hamad
dc.contributor.authorMsabi, Michael Mwita
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-25T06:48:46Z
dc.date.available2023-05-25T06:48:46Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.descriptionFull text article. Also available at https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2593944en_US
dc.description.abstractShifting sand (SS) is a single dune-shaped mass of black ash material moving across western Ngorongoro in northern Tanzania. The moving sand has become an important tourist destination for several decades. Despite being part of the important geosites at the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the nature, origin, and behaviors demonstrated by SS remain poorly understood. This work contributes toward understanding the nature and identification of the possible origin of the SS through the correlation of geochemical, mineralogical, and geomorphological data of ash material from four selected locations in the study area. To achieve this goal, elemental, mineralogical, and morphological characterization of ash samples was performed by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, polarized petrographic microscopy, automated sieve shaker, and binocular microscopy techniques, respectively. Correlation studies were based on magnesian-ferriferous associations, similarities in mineralogy, particle size, shape, and distribution patterns of ash materials, and weather data. There are close similarities in the chemical compositions among ash samples of SS, Ootun area, and Oldoinyo Lengai. Augite and magnetite minerals appear only in samples of SS, Ootun area, and Oldoinyo Lengai, while hornblende appears only in the samples from the Ngorongoro crater. Oldoinyo Lengai rock petrography revealed significant amounts of augite minerals. Blocky and elongated-shaped ash particles dominate the samples from SS, Ootun area, and Oldoinyo Lengai. The particle size of ash materials decreases westwards across the study site. The distribution patterns of ash material align with the west-south-west wind direction. Based on these findings, the study concludes that SS and Ootun ash could be tephra depositions resulting from past volcanic eruptions of Oldoinyo Lengai.en_US
dc.identifier.citationMakongoro, M. Z., Vegi, M. R., Vuai, S. A. H., & Msabi, M. M. (2022). Geochemical, mineralogical, and geomorphological characterization of ash materials as a tracer for the origin of shifting sands near Oldupai Gorge, Ngorongoro, Tanzania. The Scientific World Journal, 2022, 1-16en_US
dc.identifier.otherDOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2593944
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12661/3968
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherHindawien_US
dc.subjectSanden_US
dc.subjectShifting sanden_US
dc.subjectGeochemicalen_US
dc.subjectMineralogicalen_US
dc.subjectOldupai Gorgeen_US
dc.subjectNgorongoroen_US
dc.subjectTanzaniaen_US
dc.subjectNgorongoro Conservation Areaen_US
dc.subjectDune massen_US
dc.subjectSand dunesen_US
dc.subjectGeomorphologic signaturesen_US
dc.subjectDune landformen_US
dc.subjectVolcaniclastic dunesen_US
dc.titleGeochemical, mineralogical, and geomorphological characterization of ash materials as a tracer for the origin of shifting sands near Oldupai Gorge, Ngorongoro, Tanzaniaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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