Knowra Atacama Desert Atacama Desert A hyperarid plateau and coastal desert in northern Chile, among the driest regions on Earth. Its extreme dryness shapes distinctive landscapes and unusually clear skies.
Rain shadow : A dry region on the leeward side of a mountain range, where descending air limits precipitation. The Andes block much of the moisture arriving from the Amazon basin.
Paranal Observatory : An astronomical observatory in Chile's Atacama Desert operated by the European Southern Observatory. Its high, dry site supports observations with the Very Large Telescope.
Salar de Atacama : A large salt flat in northern Chile, occupying a basin within the Atacama region. Its brines, salt crusts, and lagoons concentrate the desert's geological and ecological contrasts.
Atacama nitrate boom : The late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century expansion of nitrate extraction in northern Chile. Desert deposits drove a major export economy and drew workers into remote settlements.
Atacama Desert microbiology : The study of microbial communities living in the Atacama's soils, rocks, and saline environments. Microbial survival under severe dryness helps define the limits of terrestrial life.
Humboldt Current : A cold ocean current flowing north along the western coast of South America. It cools coastal air and suppresses the formation of rain-bearing clouds.
Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array : A radio telescope observatory on the Chajnantor Plateau in northern Chile. Thin, dry air lets its antennas detect millimeter and submillimeter radiation.
Valle de la Luna : A landscape of eroded salt and rock formations near San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. Its sculpted terrain makes desert erosion visible in a compact, named site.
War of the Pacific : A conflict from 1879 to 1884 in which Chile fought Peru and Bolivia over territory and resources. Control of mineral-rich Atacama territories was central to the war's causes and outcome.
Endolithic microorganisms : Microorganisms that live inside rocks or mineral structures. Rock interiors can shield desert microbes from intense ultraviolet light and desiccation.
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