Images of Weathering Processes in
Yosemite National Park and Sierra
Nevada |
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Exfoliation slabs on Half Dome in
California's Yosemite Valley |
Half Dome from Washburn Point,
showing exfoliation and jointing |
Half Dome from Washburn Point,
showing exfoliation and jointing |
Half Dome, North and Basket Domes,
and Royal Arches in Yosemite Valley,
all examples of exfoliation |
Half Dome and Clouds Rest from
Glacier Point above Yosemite Valley |
Exfolation
slabs at summit of Half Dome in
Yosemite National Park. Note people
on summit for scale |
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The Three
Brothers in Yosemite Valley, formed
by intersecting joints |
North Dome from the floor of
Yosemite Valley, CA |
North Dome and the Royal Arches
Cascades in Yosemite Valley |
Mt. Starr King, an exfoliation dome,
seen from Glacier Point Road in
Yosemite |
North Dome from the floor of
Yosemite Valley, an exfoliation dome |
North and Basket Domes from Glacier
Point above Yosemite Valley |
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North Dome and Basket Dome in
California's Yosemite Valley |
Lost Arrow in Yosemite Valley, a
spire formed by vertical jointing |
Royal Arches, an overhang formed by
exfoliation jointing. Yosemite
Valley, California |
Royal Arches in Yosemite Valley.
North Dome above |
The Leaning Tower in Yosemite
Valley, an expression of vertical
jointing |
North Dome
(exfoliation) and Washington Column
(vertical joints), Yosemite Valley |
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Exfoliation and jointing in
Yosemite: North Dome, Washington
Column and Royal Arches |
North Dome, Basket Dome and Royal
Arches from Glacier Point in
Yosemite Valley. |
Diagonal jointing on the Three
Brothers in Yosemite Valley |
The Three Brothers, formed by joints
in two directions. |
Joint controlled topography at Taft
Point and Three Brothers |
Cathedral
Spires in Yosemite Valley, formed by
vertical jointing |
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Taft Fissures, joint openings on the
rim of Yosemite Valley. |
The Fissures at Taft Point in
Yosemite National Park. An
exfoliation slab can be seen on the
left. |
Joint controlled topography at
Three Brothers in Yosemite Valley
(from near Taft Point). |
Three Brothers, illustrating
diagonal jointing. Yosemite Falls on
the right (from Taft Point) |
Exfoliation sheets on Tuolumne
Meadows Road |
Exfoliation
joints along Glacier Point Road in
Yosemite National Park |
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Spheroidal
weathering in granitic rocks of the
Laguna Mtns, San Diego County, CA |
Spheroidal
weathering in granitic rocks.
Chemical weathering occurred along
joints where water could seep |
Spheroidal
weathering in granitic rocks. The
loose weathered material between the
boulders is called grus. |
Spheroidal
weathering in granitic rocks.
Chemical weathering attacks corners
and edges more effectively, causing
rounding of boulders |
Spheroidal
weathering in granitic rocks of the
Laguna Mountains of San Diego
County, CA |
Stairstep
Falls on south wall of Yosemite
Valley, with diagonal joints. |
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Spheroidal
weathering of granite in Alabama
Hills, Owens Valley, California |
Spheroidal
weathering of granite in Alabama
Hills. Rocks weathered beneath the
surface |
Spheroidal
weathering of granite in Alabama
Hills, Owens Valley, California |
Spheroidal
weathering of granite in Alabama
Hills, Owens Valley, California |
Deeply
weathered granite (grus) and
spheroidal weathering, San Joaquin
River drainage, Sierra Nevada |
Deeply
weathered granite (grus) and
spheroidal weathering, Chiquita
Creek, Sierra Nevada |
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Cavernous
weathering in granite boulder in the
Owens Valley of California |
Cavernous
weathering in granite boulder in the
Owens Valley of California |
Jointing in
glacially carved granite at Olmsted
Point, Yosemite National Park |
Jointing in
glacially carved granite at Olmsted
Point, Yosemite National Park |
Jointing in
glacially carved granite at Olmsted
Point, Yosemite National Park |
Jointing in
glacially carved granite at Olmsted
Point, Yosemite National Park |
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Exfoliation
on Half Dome in Yosemite Valley,
California |
Exfoliation
on Half Dome in Yosemite Valley,
California |
Exfoliation
sheets on Mt. Hoffman in Yosemite
National Park, California |
Exfoliation
sheets on Mt. Hoffman in Yosemite
National Park, California |
Moro Rock,
an exfoliation dome in Sequoia
National Park |
Moro Rock,
an exfoliation dome in Sequoia
National Park |
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Moro Rock,
an exfoliation dome in Sequoia
National Park |
Moro Rock,
an exfoliation dome in Sequoia
National Park |
Exfoliation
slabs at the top of Moro Rock in
Sequoia National Park, California |
Exfoliation
slab in Sequoia National Park,
California |
Fire
spalling in Kings Canyon, Sierra
Nevada. Thermal expansion causes
flakes of rock to come off the
granite boulder. |
Exfoliation
slabs near Vernal Falls in Yosemite
National Park (full-sized photo,
larger file not available) |
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Exfoliation
slabs near Olmsted Point, Yosemite
National Park |
Exfoliation
slabs near Olmsted Point, Yosemite
National Park |
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Weathering Processes Elsewhere
(Joints, Exfoliation and
Arches/Natural Bridges) |
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Jointed
sandstone blocks at Cedar Mesa, Utah
(Permian Cedar Mesa Sandstone) |
Jointed
sandstone blocks at Cedar Mesa, Utah |
Sipapu
Bridge in Natural Bridges National
Monument in Utah. Originally opened
by stream erosion, it has grown
larger from physical weathering |
Kachina
Bridge at Natural Bridges National
Monument, and early stage of bridge
development |
Kachina
Bridge at Natural Bridges National
Monument |
Owachomo
Bridge at Natural Bridges National
Monument, a bridge in the latest
stage of development. It may
collapse soon. |
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Owachomo
Bridge at Natural Bridges National
Monument, Utah |
Vertical
joint patterns in
Black Canyon of
the Gunnison in Colorado |
Vertical
joints control patterns of erosion
in
Black Canyon of the Gunnison in
Colorado |
The Coke
Ovens, hoodoos formed by erosion
along vertical joints in sandstone
in Colorado National Monument, CO |
The Coke
Ovens, hoodoos formed by erosion
along vertical joints in sandstone
in Colorado National Monument, CO |
Landscape
Arch, formed along parallel joints
in Entrada Sandstone at
Arches
National Park |
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Moon and
Landscape Arch at
Arches National
Park. Arches formed along fins
outlined by parallel joints in
sandstone |
Landscape
Arch, formed along parallel joints
in Entrada Sandstone at
Arches
National Park |
Moon and
Landscape Arch at
Arches National
Park. |
Landscape
Arch, formed along parallel joints
in Entrada Sandstone at
Arches
National Park |
Double Arch,
formed along parallel joints in
Entrada Sandstone at
Arches National
Park |
Hoodoos
formed by vertical joints at
Canyonlands National Park. Viewed
from Grandview Point on Island in
the Sky. |
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Delicate
Arch at
Arches National Park. |
Skyline Arch
at
Arches National Park in Utah |
Rock fins,
formed by parallel joints in Entrada
Sandstone at
Arches National Park |
Rock fins,
formed by parallel joints in Entrada
Sandstone at
Arches National Park |
Rock fins,
formed by parallel joints in Entrada
Sandstone at
Arches National Park |
Rock fins,
formed by parallel joints in Entrada
Sandstone at
Arches National Park |
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Rock fins,
formed by parallel joints in Entrada
Sandstone at
Arches National Park |
Fins caused
by jointing at Park Avenue in
Arches
National Park |
Fins caused
by jointing at Park Avenue in
Arches
National Park |
Joint
patterns in cliff at
Black Canyon of
the Gunnison National Park |
Joint
patterns in cliff called the
Fissures at
Black Canyon of the
Gunnison National Park |
Joint
fracture in Cedar Mesa sandstone on
Cedar Mesa in southern Utah |
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Hoodoos at
Goblin Valley State Park, Utah,
formed by erosion of jointed blocks
of Entrada Sandstone |
Hoodoos at
Goblin Valley State Park were used
as a movie set in "Galaxy Quest" |
Hoodoos at
Goblin Valley State Park, Utah,
formed by erosion of jointed blocks
of Entrada Sandstone |
Hoodoos at
Goblin Valley State Park, Utah,
formed by erosion of jointed blocks
of Entrada Sandstone |
Hoodoos at
Goblin Valley State Park, Utah,
formed by erosion of jointed blocks
of Entrada Sandstone |
Hoodoos at
Goblin Valley State Park, Utah,
formed by erosion of jointed blocks
of Entrada Sandstone |
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Hoodoos
formed by erosion along joints at
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah |
Hoodoos
formed by erosion along joints at
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah |
Hoodoos
formed by erosion along joints at
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah |
Hoodoos
formed by erosion along joints in
Wall Street Canyon at
Bryce Canyon
National Park in Utah |
Deep cleft
formed by erosion along joints at
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah |
Hoodoos near
Sunrise Point formed by erosion
along joints at
Bryce Canyon
National Park in Utah |
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Checkerboard
Mesa in Zion National Park. The
pattern is caused by vertical joints
that are perpendicular to horizontal
crossbedding in the Navajo Sandstone |
The Zion
Arch at Zion National Park |
Conjugate
joints in granite at Split Rock in
Joshua Tree National Park. Note
the 60/120 degree angless |
Conjugate
joints in granite at Split Rock in
Joshua Tree National Park. Note
the 60/120 degree angless |
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