Abstract
The southwestern United States is characterized by dramatic canyon-dominated sandstone landscapes. The canyons are typically steep-sided and display segmented valley walls reflecting the variable resistance of the rocks into which they are cut. Three broad sets of geomorphic processes are principally responsible for canyon formation: groundwater sapping, fluvial erosion, and salt tectonics. Extensively associated with the sandstone landscapes of the American southwest is the development of spectacular arches and natural bridges. These forms are the result of the structurally controlled dissolution of calcite cements, and subsequent enlargement by removal of loosened grains, boulders, and slabs by wind, gravity, and water.
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Dixon, J.C. (2009). Canyonlands and Arches: Windows on Landscapes in the American Southwest. In: Migon, P. (eds) Geomorphological Landscapes of the World. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3055-9_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3055-9_5
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