Cavernous weathering is commonly found on sandstone slopes in different environments.Either a single dominant process or polygenetic agents require to be invoked in order to interpret the development.The Yongningshan hill of the central Loess Plateau is representative of cliff dwellings in Northwest China,which is characterized by well-developed cavernous weathering features and provides a good opportunity for the better understanding of sandstone weathering in the Loess Plateau.Multiple methods,including field survey,in-situ rock strength measurement,along with experiments on samples for microscopic observation,element composition and salt chemistry,were employed to investigate the controlling factors of cavernous weathering.The results show that cavern development is different on the four slopes with the western slope hosting massive honeycombs,tafoni and hardened surfaces.The porous and permeable aeolian sandstones are fundamental,because they provide space and pathways for the transportation of water and salt,honeycombs dominantly aligning within the lamination of cross-beds.The environmental factors such as the seasonal wetting and drying cycle,aeolian salt,moisture and water vapor are key factors for the development of cavernous weathering forms.The northern and northwestern wind-blown dust storms have brought abundant salts,the lengthier dry periods of the wetting and drying cycle being beneficial for salt accumulation within caverns,favoring salt weathering.

CHEN Liuqin;Piotr MIGO?;GUO Fusheng;PAN Zhixin;WU Hao

State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Resources and Environment,East China University of Technology,Nanchang 330013,China;School of Earth Sciences,East China University of Technology,Nanchang 330013,China;Institute of Geography and Regional Development,University of Wroclaw pl.Uniwersytecki 1,50-137 Wroclaw Poland;School of Tourism,Hainan University,Haikou 570228,China;Shaanxi Mineral Resources and Geological Survey,Xi'an 710068,China

地质学报（英文版）

[1]CHEN Liuqin;Piotr MIGO?;GUO Fusheng;PAN Zhixin;WU Hao-.Cavernous Weathering in Aeolian Sandstones:An Example from the Yongningshan Hill of the Loess Plateau,Northwest China)[J].地质学报（英文版）,2022(05):1764-1777

Sandstones,Yongningshan,polygenetic,cavern,honeycombs,tafoni,lengthier

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