A Geoscience Digital Image Library
A Geoscience Digital Image Library
| Title | Exfoliation flake on El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California |
|---|---|
| Description | This view shows Texas Flake, an exfoliation flake on the side of El Capitan, a large granitic monolith in Yosemite Valley, California. Exfoliation has produced large flakes that appear to be leaning against the cliff. Look closely: several rock climbers can be seen sitting on top of Texas Flake, which is about 350 m above the valley floor. El Capitan is made of the El Capitan Granite, one of a number of intrusive rock unite in the Yosemite Valley Area. The intrusion is of Cretaceous age. Exfoliation to produce flakes of this sort is common when plutons from deep in the Earth reach the surface. The release of confining pressure leads to jointing and slabs eventually fall off. |
| Location | USA ▹ California ▹ Merced. Near Merced. Yosemite National Park. |
| Photographer | Dexter Perkins. 2002-02-20. |
| Key words | Yosemite, granite, exfoliation, El Capitan |
| Tech details | 283 KB. Vista. |
| GeoDIL number | 2397 |
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