Recreational Users, Racers, and Interested Spectators
Please help to protect this small, humble experiment, part of the scientific investigation of Bonneville's ecology. Unlike EVERY previous study, what is currently underway not only satisfies the mining lease terms with the BLM, but for the first time has an expanded scope to hopefully banish the word "inconclusive" from the final report and analysis. This level of attention is a blessing for the salt and if additional funding from the National Science Foundation comes through this marvelous ecosystem will finally get the full science work-up it so dearly deserves.
Attached are a couple of photos of the "dust traps" that are now on the Bonneville Salt Flats, set up by Dr. Brenda Bowen as part of her expanded study to get some scientific data on the growing dirt, mud, dust problem on the Bonneville Salt Flats. By the time Speed Week rolls around thewre will be six (6) in total. Two of them can be easily seen now:
1 - About a mile straight out from the access road;
2 - About half a mile towards the north from where the salt lay down pipe enters BSF just outside the Salduro Loop.
So far, so good. Both have withstood some major wind and rain and seem to be collecting material.
As Dr. Bowen has described the experiment, "By analyzing the material deposited in the collectors we hope to identify the composition and potentially the source of windblown sediments onto the salt surface. Please feel free to share these images with the racing community so that they are aware of what we're up to. We are hopeful that the traps won't be tampered with or vandalized. In the photo is Hannah Stinson, an awesome Geology student who is working with me on this part of the project."
Thanking You in Advance,
LandSpeed Louise