China’s Tarim Basin: A desert that never sleeps

Today’s Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a dramatic view of dust sweeping across the Tarim Basin in western China - one of the dustiest places on Earth.  Spring and summer usually grab the headlines for dust activity, but that doesn’t mean the skies clear in the other months. Satellite data and ground observations show that autumn brings its share of haze too.  Known for its unusual eye-like shape, the Tarim Basin is surrounded by mountains that often trap dust...