Cave flags get their name because they are shaped like a flag composed of sediments in a karst cave. When a rock protrudes from the top or wall of a cave, water flows along the sloping rock surface and releases calcium carbonate. If this deposit is wide enough, it will form a cave flag. A cave flag’s width may reach 1 m, and the thickness is between 2.5 mm and 10 mm. Cave flags can be transparent or translucent and generate excellent percussion sounds. Stripes of different colours can form when the seeping water contains various impurities (Fig. 14).
Cave flag landscape – Shihua Cave, Beijing
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this entry
Cite this entry
(2020). Cave Flag Landscape. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_249
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_249
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-2537-3
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-2538-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences