THE ORIGIN OF THE GREAT BEND OF THE NILE FROM SIR-C X-SAR IMAGERY/

The course of the Nile in northern Sudan follows a contorted path thro ugh Precambrian bedrock, Radar imagery shows that basement structures control the river's course in this region. Northward-flowing segments follow Precambrian fabrics, whereas east-west segments follow faults o f much younger age. These faults may reflect recent uplift of the Nubi an Swell and deflection of the river to the southwest to form the grea t bend of the Nile.