a sunscorched saline lakebed a geological formation of evaporated water and mineral deposits

saline saltflat playa drylake saltpan alkaline lakebed salk sediment mineral evaporite shallow endorheic saltcrust salt salty alkalinity hypersaline saltlake flat barren cracked desiccated withered parched earth deposits evaporated sedimentary geological natural formation deposit crusty saltencrusted dryness saltiness lake lakes dry bed evaporative basin arid landscape white sunscorched crust sparse vegetation plants processes tectonic