(Note the lack of tributaries, dry or not, on the canyon walls, as well as the smooth surface of the cliff face. Also, look at the thin layer of soil that is both the same color as, and lies directly on, the bedrock! The plants at the bottom of the valley also tell us that there is a reliable water source.)
Due to the lack of precipitation and plant growth near the Kingdom of Heaven it is difficult for significant, or even healthy, layers of soil to develop. The wind and temperature changes from day to night are the main weathering forces in action, slowly breaking down the bedrock into entisol. The foliage could either be growing in the lower reaches of a drainage basin, or they could be below the water table. There might even be a natural artesian well! The lower infiltration capacity of desert topography, combined with the steep canyon walls increases the danger of flashfloods for anyone living here. (Check out the highly triangular drainage basins! Strange how they are directly below the snow line don’t you think?)
These mountains however experience their significant mass wasting events during the warmer months. When the combination of melting snow and spring rain wash out much of the entisol in their drainage basins. All the way down into the tributaries and streams flowing far below.
Hi Sean,
ReplyDeleteI have yet to see The Kingdom of Heaven but your blog makes me want to go rent it! I enjoyed your explanations of weathering and how you tied in various other events like flash floods. I liked learning about the drainage basins in the mountains. Good job!
-Kristin Simpson
Sean,
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of using the geologic aspects of the locations where the movie The Kingdom of Heaven was filmed. How creative, not to mention entertaining! Your blog posts are very detailed, which helps the reader to understand what geologic processes are happening in the locations that you chose. I like how you discuss the cause and effects of the processes--you discuss what is happening, what caused it and why. It's neat to be able to see what is happening in these locations, and compare it to similar climates located here in the U.S. where similar geologic processes are most likely occurring. On a constructive note, captions on the pictures would help readers to know what they are looking at and what region/climate zone it is located in. Otherwise, I really like your blog and I learned a lot from it!