Scientists at the University of Göttingen in Germany have solved the mystery of the appearance of witch's circles in the Namibian desert in southern Africa and in the fields of wild vegetation in Australia. According to the conclusions of experts, this phenomenon is explained by the so-called Turing pattern, a feature of dynamic systems that, under certain conditions, form stable patterns. This is reported in an article published in the Journal of Ecology.
There is little empirical evidence to support British mathematician Alan Turing's hypothesis, the researchers said, although many scientists use theoretical models to study natural processes. To prove the validity of this explanation, experts studied witch circles in Australia using drones from a bird's eye view. According to one hypothesis, the location of the circles was associated with the dependence of vegetation on moisture.
The vegetation has been found to benefit from the additional runoff provided by the large circles and thus maintain the functioning of the ecosystem in very arid conditions. Without such a structure, these areas would remain deserted, with bare soil devoid of plants. This confirms the Turing hypothesis of self-organization in unstable environmental conditions.
Previously, it was believed that witch circles are formed as a result of the activity of termites. However, similar structures were later found in Australia, where there were no signs of insect activity. In February 2019, scientists published an article confirming the connection between circles and soil moisture.
