severe drying out. Dehydration.

desiccation (Wikipedia)
This article is about the removal of water through chemical or physical means. For the medical condition, see Dehydration. For the chemical reaction, see Dehydration reaction. For food preservation by dehydration, see Drying (food). For crop desiccation by application of herbicides, see Crop desiccation.
Not to be confused with Decussation.
Desiccation cracks in sludge
Centripetal desiccation cracks in the Lower Jurassic Moenave Formation at the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm, southwestern Utah. A dinosaur footprint is at center.

Desiccation (from Latin de- "thorougly" + siccare "to dry") is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.

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