A
salt glacier is a flow of
saltA salt, in chemistry, is an ionic compound, and can result from the neutralization reaction of acids and bases. Salts are ionic compounds composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
(typically
haliteHalite is the mineral form of sodium chloride, NaCl, commonly known as rock salt. Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless to yellow, but may also be light blue, dark blue, and pink depending on the amount and type of impurities...
) that is created when a rising
diapirA diapir is a type of intrusion in which a more mobile and ductily-deformable material is forced into brittle overlying rocks...
in a
salt domeA salt dome is a type of structural dome formed when a thick bed of evaporite minerals found at depth intrudes vertically into surrounding rock strata, forming a diapir....
breaches the surface, much like
toothpasteToothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it can aid in the removal of dental plaque and food from the teeth, aid in the elimination and/or masking of halitosis and deliver...
from a tube. Gravity causes the salt to flow like glaciers into adjacent valleys. Most of the flow occurs during the winter, when the salt is wet, as the strength of salt is critically dependent on its water content. The resulting tongue-shaped bodies can extend for kilometers, with repeating bow-shaped ridges separated by crevasse-like gullies and with steep sides and fronts.
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A
salt glacier is a flow of
saltA salt, in chemistry, is an ionic compound, and can result from the neutralization reaction of acids and bases. Salts are ionic compounds composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
(typically
haliteHalite is the mineral form of sodium chloride, NaCl, commonly known as rock salt. Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless to yellow, but may also be light blue, dark blue, and pink depending on the amount and type of impurities...
) that is created when a rising
diapirA diapir is a type of intrusion in which a more mobile and ductily-deformable material is forced into brittle overlying rocks...
in a
salt domeA salt dome is a type of structural dome formed when a thick bed of evaporite minerals found at depth intrudes vertically into surrounding rock strata, forming a diapir....
breaches the surface, much like
toothpasteToothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it can aid in the removal of dental plaque and food from the teeth, aid in the elimination and/or masking of halitosis and deliver...
from a tube. Gravity causes the salt to flow like glaciers into adjacent valleys. Most of the flow occurs during the winter, when the salt is wet, as the strength of salt is critically dependent on its water content. The resulting tongue-shaped bodies can extend for kilometers, with repeating bow-shaped ridges separated by crevasse-like gullies and with steep sides and fronts. Clays may be brought up with the salt, turning it dark.