Granite landform characteristics, distribution and evolution patterns in Huangshan Mt

• Published in: Chinese science bulletin 2009-12, Vol.54 (23), p.4487-4499
• Main Authors: Cui, ZhiJiu, Chen, YiXin, Yang, XiaoYan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Articles/Geography; Chemistry/Food Science; Earth Sciences; Engineering; Humanities and Social Sciences; Life Sciences; multidisciplinary; Physics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); 上新世; 中心地区; 地貌特征; 夷平面; 溯源侵蚀; 演化模式; 花岗岩地貌; 黄山市
• ISSN: 1001-6538; 2095-9273; 1861-9541; 2095-9281
• DOI: 10.1007/s11434-009-0309-x

The various types of granite landforms in the Huangshan Mt. are distributed in a concentric pattern. The remaining parts of the planation surface are in the center; domical peaks, castle peaks, pointed peaks, and ridges are arranged from the center to the periphery accordingly. This reveals that knick points are still near the center and the center area is the common divide of the radial water system. It is inferred that the granite bodies in the Huangshan Mt. were exposed to erosion in Miocene and Pliocene, and the planation surface was also formed then. After the slight uplift in late Pliocene, a light-incised surface was formed. Then, in early Quaternary, there were intense uplifts and incisions so that deep incised surface was formed. The above process is still in progress, and results in high peaks and deep gorges outside of the center area. However, due to the limited catchment area in the center, headward erosion is mild, and the current landforms in the Huangshan Mt. can be maintained for a long time.