Tafony (Genesis, Evolution, and Distribution issues)

Subject Areas : GEOMORPHOLOGY

mojtaba  khalilizadeh ¹ (Department of civil Engineering, Larestan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Larestan,Iran)

Received: 2022-05-19 Accepted : 2022-09-04 Published : 2022-09-22

Keywords: Genesis, evolution, Tafony, Distribution issues, Chemical weathering,

Abstract :

Rock in many aspects of human activity has fundamental importance. If the rocks in different conditions than the current environment to be formed, are posses to natural weathering processes and forms shapes that are interesting  subject to geomorphologists to be used effectively in creating the conditions and how they are developed. In geomorphology, Tafony has a surprising form by the chemical and salt weathering that are created on rocky outcrops. These quasi-cave shapes can be found in different structures such as sandstone, granite, dolomite, limestone, rhyolite and metamorphosed conglomerate. They also have been observed in different climates such as Polar Regions, coastal, semi-arid areas and even on Mars. Despite extensive distribution of Tafony, this issue must consider that they are generally found in rock crystal and grain and also, are created in terms of environmental in humid and salty environments. Since some forms of Tafony are very old, especially those that are very large and wide, often as evidence of past climatic periods are raised so they can study as the evidence of the weather and climatic conditions of that era. Considering the distribution of this phenomenon, how Tafony formed and their effective processes is still discussed and there are different opinions about its genesis. Since we can find this phenomenon in all climates, it is mentioned in many resources, including coastal, deserts texts, and since this phenomenon is one of the forms of weathering and could be seen on marine and urban structures, so in some of these works without reference to the name of Tafony, have been studied. In Iran, this phenomenon has been observed in many areas, including Abyaneh road, Larestan, alongside Qom road, Binaloud mountains, southern slopes of the Zagros and ... that generally includes sub glacial, cold, coastal and desert areas, amny studies have been done on them as often or in case of dominant erosion in geology and works of geomorphologists such as Zomorodian and Ahmadi with some brief reference to their formation. In this study we try to evaluate the Iranian and global literature in relation to Tafony genesis, its causes and distribution and new findings in relation to this phenomenon is discussed to be exposed.