Sea arch in limestone cliffs. The sea arch formed when wave action eroded part of the rocks in the headland quicker than the rest. Initially,caves formed each side of the headland,cutting deeper until they merged to form an arch. The limestone rock (white) of the cliffs is a sedimentary rock that formed in layers (strata,horizontal bands). These layers are clearly seen here. The limestone is mostly calcium minerals,formed from calcium in the skeletons of billions of microscopic plankton in an ancient sea. These settled on the ancient seabed and over millions of years this rock formed and was uplifted to form the cliffs seen here. Photographed in Etretat,Normandy,France | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Goetgheluck, Pascal |
Bildgröße: | 5382 px × 3563 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |