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Spitzkoppe: The World of Granite Landforms

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Geomorphological Landscapes of the World

Abstract

The granite inselberg of Spitzkoppe in west-central Namibia is one of the most impressive landforms of this type on Earth. It combines domical and conical shapes, depending on the angle of view, and its origin derives from differential weathering of two different granite complexes of Precambrian and Cretaceous age, respectively. Huge rock slope failures are the principal means of hillslope evolution. Low granite elevations around Spitzkoppe host a diverse assemblage of minor features such as boulder fields, weathering pits, and tafoni. Pediments are perfectly developed around larger residuals. Circumstantial evidence exists that the tall inselbergs of the Central Namib Desert may have been in existence for a few tens million of years at least.

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Migoń, P. (2009). Spitzkoppe: The World of Granite Landforms. In: Migon, P. (eds) Geomorphological Landscapes of the World. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3055-9_16

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