D. R. Mabey R. Willden 1961 Open fissures, from 100 to several hundred feet apart, that have produced polygonal patterns on the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, are believed to be giant desiccation cracks resulting from a secular trend toward aridity in the last few decades. Similar features on the Smoke Creek Desert probably have the same origin. application/pdf 10.1126/science.133.3461.1359 en American Association for the Advancement of Science Giant desiccation fissures on the Black Rock and Smoke Creek Deserts, Nevada article