inscription
PORTAIL D'INFORMATION GÉOGRAPHIQUE

Aeolian activity at a giant sandstone weathering pit in arid south-central Utah

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

NETOFF, D.I.
Dep. of Geography and Geology, Sam Houston State Univ., Huntsville, Etats-Unis
CHAN, M.A.
Geology and Geophysics, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, Etats-Unis


Description :
Aeolian abrasional, depositional and deflational features indicate exceptionally strong southwesterly winds in a giant sandstone weathering pit in Grand Staircase Escalante Monument. This pit has developed near the summit of a broad, barren high dome on the Lower Jurassic Navajo Sandstone. The field work involved describing the morphology and morphometry of the pit and groove, including a large variety of streamlined abrasional features. The combination of lags, groove marks, flutes, dedos and linear, sharp-crested ridges, and shifting dune sand within the pit are evidence of the aeolian activity. These dedos and other streamlined aeolian sculpted host-rock features occur in clusters and typically form in the lee of iron concretions. The dedos are similar to the controversial stalked blueberries on Mars. A bedrock valley descends to the southwest from the pit and groove, amplifying southwesterly winds.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Earth surface processes and landforms, issn : 0197-9337, 2009, vol. 34, n°. 1, p. 99-108, nombre de pages : 10, Références bibliographiques : 1 p.

Date :
2009

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley

Langue :
Anglais
Droits :
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