Definition
Formation of micro- to macroscale cavities on the rock surface by selective hollowing out of rock outcrops and boulders.
Category
A type of rock weathering feature.
Description
Cavernous weathering may form solitary cavities or pseudo-regular structures of cavities separated by (sometimes very thin) walls on the surface of rocks. The terms “honeycomb weathering,” “stone lace,” or “stone lattice” are derived from the appearance of these peculiar patterns. The cavities can vary from centimeter to meter scale in width/diameter (see Subtypes). In a mature stage of weathering, the separated alveoli may coalesce and form bigger cavities due to the loss of walls. The orientation of cavities often follows the direction of bedding planes in sedimentary rocks and seems to be influenced also by gravity (Mikuláš 2001; McBride and Picard 2004). Mikuláš (2001) distinguishes...
References
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Siedel, H. (2014). Cavernous Weathering Features. In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_54-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_54-1
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