CollectHomepage AdvertisementContact usMessage

Arid Land Geography ›› 2023, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (4): 527-538.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2022.372

• Surface Process and Ecological Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Characteristics, spatial distribution and formation mechanism of Danxia landform in Shaanxi Province

DING Hua(),LIAO Wenqiang,DUAN Fenghao,YANG Wangtun   

  1. Chang’an University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2022-07-23 Revised:2022-09-12 Online:2023-04-25 Published:2023-04-28

Abstract:

There are more than 54 spots of Danxia landforms in Shaanxi Province, northwest China, which are distributed in the Weibei Uplift and Yishan Slope of the Ordos Basin. In terms of landscape, both positive and negative Danxia landforms have considerable regional differentiation from southwest to northeast of the province. The sandstones of aeolian desert facies with mainly near horizontal or gently inclined Danxia occurrences are the most widely distributed. They are characterized by gully Danxia, wave Danxia, and colored hills, and most of them are in their early stage. The spatial structure type of Danxia landform distribution in Shaanxi Province is condensed, with two high-density areas (Ganquan-Zhidan-Ansai-Fuxian Danxia area and Yulin Jingbian Danxia area), one medium-density area (Zhaojin-Xunyi-Binxian Danxia area), and two low-density areas (Baoji Jiulongshan area and Fugu Lianhuachan area) according to the nearest neighbor index and nuclear density analysis methods. From the viewpoint of the formation mechanism, Mesozoic sedimentation in the Ordos Basin laid the material foundation for the Danxia landform, regional tectonic evolution controls the distribution of positive and negative landforms, and characteristics of joints and fissures are critical in the landscape pattern of the Danxia landform, and water and wind erosions are the leading forces shaping the landscape form of the Danxia landform.

Key words: Danxia landform, landscape features, spatial distribution, formation mechanism, Shaanxi Province