Theory 36/Salt flats/Ratio lens
Crust Thickness Balances Supply and Loss
The claim
Crust thickness is set by the ratio of groundwater salt supply to evaporation, so a shallow water table builds a thicker crust than a deep one.
01Mechanism
Salt arrives with rising groundwater and stays when water evaporates; the ratio sets the accumulation rate.
02Prediction
Thickness should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Thickness tracking salinity would remove the water table.