Geological reasons for the emergence of Hukou Waterfall (Explanation 1)
- Geological changes
- Source：Geological changes
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- Release time：2021/10/27
Geological reasons for the emergence of Hukou Waterfall (Explanation 1)
The emergence of Hukou Waterfall is geologically due to the proper material composition, proper structural conditions and the effect of flowing water.
Appropriate material composition mainly manifests in the fact that the rocks around the waterfall are gray-green and light red medium-fine feldspar grauwacke and conglomerate rock with silty mudstone; the stratigraphic layer belongs to the Ermaying Formation, and the geological age is the Mesozoic Middle Triassic,around 220 million years ago; the same stratum,along with right proportion of sandstone and mudstone,eventually led to the emergence of waterfall.
Appropriate structural conditions are reflected in the fact that there are two sets of joints developed in the sandstone, one of which is a north-south vertical joint, which controls the waterfall's direction; the other is a nearly east-west vertical joint. Both sets of joints and the nearly horizontal strata form three mutually perpendicular faces,which cut the rock strata into small pieces.The various crisscross cracks appear on the rock strata, laying the foundation for rock fragmentation.
The effect of running water lies in the fact that on the one hand, the huge energy of its own flow along with the carried sediment constantly scour and abrade rocks;on the other hand, the running water also continuously erodes the softer mud rock under the sandstone, causing the sandstone to hang in the air. Due to the gravity, or the ice wedges in the rock cracks in winter, combined with its own cracks, the sandstone will loosen and fall off.
Appropriate material composition mainly manifests in the fact that the rocks around the waterfall are gray-green and light red medium-fine feldspar grauwacke and conglomerate rock with silty mudstone; the stratigraphic layer belongs to the Ermaying Formation, and the geological age is the Mesozoic Middle Triassic, which is around 220 million years ago; the same stratum and the right proportion of sandstone and mudstone, eventually led to the emergence of waterfall.
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