Formation of Red Bed Landform

The so-called "red layer" in red layer landform refers to the red rock series formed during the Mesozoic Jurassic to Cenozoic Tertiary sedimentation, commonly referred to as "red glutenite". The horizontal tectonic landform refers to a flat plateau composed mainly of shovel shaped horizontal or nearly horizontal Tertiary thick red glutenite, which is a tower shaped terrain with flat roofs, steep cliffs, and isolated protrusions caused by the comprehensive effects of strong erosion segmentation, dissolution, and gravitational collapse.

The widespread development of red bed landforms began in the late Tertiary Himalayan orogeny. This movement caused some red strata to tilt and gently fold, and uplifted the red basin, forming an outflow zone. The flowing water converges towards the low-lying areas in the middle of the basin, eroding along the vertical joints of the rock layers, forming a deep trench with two vertical walls, called a alley valley. The colluvial deposits at the foot of the alley valley form a gentle slope colluvial cone when the flowing water cannot move all of them away. As the trench wall collapses and retreats, the colluvial cone continues to grow upward, and the range covering the bedrock surface continues to expand. The bedrock at the lower part of the colluvial cone forms a gentle slope consistent with the inclination direction of the colluvial cone. After the collapse of the cliff surface, the return gradually narrows the range of the mountaintop surface, forming fort shaped residual peaks, stone walls, or pillars. With further erosion, residual peaks, stone walls, and pillars will also disappear, forming gentle slopes and hills. There are many limestone gravels and calcium carbonate cements in the red sandy gravel layer. After calcium carbonate is dissolved by water, it often forms some dissolution ditches, stone buds, and caves, or forms thin layers of calcified deposits, and even develops stalactites. Funnels are also developed along joint intersections. In sandstone, the beautiful terrain formed by cross bedding is called Jinshi. The deep rock formations of rivers can form square mountains with flat tops and steep walls, or be cut into various strange peaks, such as upright, fortress like, and pagoda like. In areas where the dip angle of the rock stratum is relatively large, the erosion forms a monoclinic ridge that undulates like a dragon; Multiple monoclinic ridges adjacent to each other are called monoclinic peak groups. A large area of rock collapse along vertical joints forms a tall and spectacular cliff slope; The steep cliff slope develops along the strike of a group of main joints, forming a tall stone wall; The erosion of stone walls forms stone windows; The stone window further expanded into a stone bridge. Narrow and steep alleys and valleys are often formed between rock blocks, and their rock walls are known as "red walls" due to their red color. Caves along the bedding plane are often developed on the walls.