Microbial origin of desert varnish
Dorn RI and Oberlander TM. 1981. Microbial origin of desert varnish. Science. 213(4513):1245-1247
The authors show that manganese-rich desert varnish is created by microorganisms concentrating manganese from airborne dust and other sources, rather than from the covered rock itself. Scanning electron microscope and x-ray analysis provides details of varnish characteristics and the related bacteria; bacteria of this type cultured in the laboratory have produced similar varnish. Black-and-white photographs show photomicrographs of bacteria under varying conditions. Several of the samples illustrated are from Death Valley.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Dorn, Ronald; Oberlander, T
- Units
- DEVA
- Keywords
- Bacteria, Death Valley National Park CA NV, desert varnish, Manganese (Mn), Physical Sciences