The intricate terrain of Armenia was formed millions of years ago by a geological event that lifted the earth’s crust and created the Armenian Plateau. The formation of columnar jointing, however, still remains a mystery. Scientists have compared it to mud-cracks caused by shrinkage on the surface of dried mud. It is believed that the polygonal cracks in basalt were created due to cooling contraction, which led to the development of equally spaced cooling centers. A tension crack forms between two centers, resulting in a multi-sided polygonal crack system. This system splits the rock into uniform polygonal blocks. As the cooling process continues towards the interior, cracks propagate inward at right angles, leading to the unique columnar structure.
The image credit goes to Diego Delso and it shows Garni Gorge along with the “Symphony of the Stones” basalt columns located along the cliff side.
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