Flatiron (geomorphology)

Lateral view on flatirons along Tekeze River, Ethiopia
The Flatirons (prominences & flat slopes) overlooking Boulder, Colorado
Novaculite flatirons on the flank of East Bourland Mountain in the Marathon Uplift of West Texas[1]
Colourful flatirons in the Serranía de Hornocal of Jujuy Province, Argentina

Traditionally in geomorphology, a flatiron is a steeply sloping triangular landform created by the differential erosion of a steeply dipping, erosion-resistant layer of rock overlying softer strata. Flatirons have wide bases that form the base of a steep, triangular facet that narrows upward into a point at its summit. The dissection of a hogback by regularly spaced streams often results in the formation of a series of flatirons along the strike of the rock layer that formed the hogback.[2][3][4] As noted in some, but not all definitions, a number of flatirons are perched upon the slope of a larger mountain with the rock layer forming the flatiron inclined in the same direction as, but often at a steeper angle than the associated mountain slope. The name flatiron refers to their resemblance to an upended, household flatiron.[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference MaCleod2009a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Ollier, C.D. (1985) Glossary of Morphotectonics, 2nd ed. Bureau of Mineral Resources. Geology and Geophysics Record no. 1985/30. Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, Canberra, Australia. 55 pp. ISBN 978-0858347465
  3. ^ Fairbridge, R.W. (1968) Hogback and Flatiron. In R.W. Fairbridge, ed., pp. 524-525, The Encyclopedia of Geomorphology (Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences, Volume III), Reinhold, New York, 1296 pp. ISBN 978-0879331795
  4. ^ Huggett, JL (2011) Fundamentals of Geomorphology. Routledge. New York, New York. 516 pp. ISBN 978-0-415-56774-9
  5. ^ Jackson, JA, J Mehl and K Neuendorf (2005) Glossary of Geology. American Geological Institute, Alexandria, Virginia. 800 pp. ISBN 0-922152-76-4