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36 images Created 11 Jun 2019

The WAVE

In the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona, just south of the border with Utah, is one of the most beautiful sandstone formations in North America, and perhaps the world, the Wave. It consists of two U-shaped troughs that have been eroded into the Navajo Sandstone formation of the Jurassic age. The troughs were originally eroded by water. Now they are eroded almost entirely by wind. The sandstone was formed from giant dunes that developed crossbedding due to changing prevailing winds over time. This resulted in layers in the sandstone that have different resistance to erosion. The wind takes away the softer material, leaving some beautiful patterns and textures. To see the text for each photo, view in full size.
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  • “Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the true beauty of their carvings.” <br />
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
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  • Wind carrying particles of sand courses through the sandstone trough scouring away the soft rock and leaving ridges of the harder rock layers.  Photo DSC_8782.
    DSC_8782.jpg
  • The funnel shaped structure in the center of this photo is an example of layers that were deformed before they solidified into stone.  It is believed that this was the result of a dinosaur walking across the layers of sand right after its deposition. There are a number of these structures in the wave.  Photo DSC_8785.
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  • A closeup of a deformation from a dinosaur walking by when the sand hadn’t hardened into sandstone.  Photo DSC_8719.
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  • This view is looking down a steep gully into the Wave trough.  Photo DSC_8778.
    DSC_8778.jpg
  • The rock at the bottom of the trough is a result of scouring by blowing sand and wear and tear from people walking through the area.  Photo DSC_8771.
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  • This photo gives an idea of the complexity of patterns in the rocks.  Photo DSC_8776.
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  • This view is looking down the outside of the Wave formation at some of the other structures in the North Coyote Buttes region of the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.  Photo DSC_8754.
    DSC_8754.jpg
  • The wind has created some low spots that collect water when it rains.  Notice the puddle in the center of this photo.  You can tell the high-water mark by the bleached-out area at the bottom of the photo.  Photo DSC_8753.
    DSC_8753.jpg
  • A sharp corner is a good place for wind carried sand to collect behind the ridges and in the low spots.  Photo DSC_8787.
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  • Complex patterns.  Photo DSC_8736.
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  • Looking down a steep shoot into the Wave.  Photo DSC_8742.
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  • A temporary pond in the Wave.  Photo DSC_8730.
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  • Another view of the main though of the Wave.  Photo DSC_8713.
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  • A deformation of unknown origin.  Photo DSC_8780.
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  • Soft sediment deformation happened when a portion of the dune collapsed while it was still unconsolidated, probably due to water turning the sand into mud-like slurry, creating this unusual pattern in the sandstone.  Photo DSC_8640.
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  • An extremely complex set of strata.  Photo DSC_8702.
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  • Beautiful patterns.  Photo DSC_8696.
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  • View from above the main trough.  Photo DSC_8699.
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  • A very complex set of structures.  Photo DSC_8693.
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  • Eye candy.  Photo DSC_8695.
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  • Above the Wave.  Photo DSC_8681.
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  • Formations in North Coyote Buttes.  DSC_8792.
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  • A formation beside the Wave.  DSC_8758.
    DSC_8758.jpg
  • Buttes in North Coyote Buttes. DSC_8796.
    DSC_8796.jpg
  • Scenes that you walk by on the way to the Wave.  DSC_8795.
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