The Problem of Tors

Linton, David L.

doi:10.2307/1791756

Cited by 220 publications

(122 citation statements)

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“…Water enters the rock through the joints, which become locations for chemical weathering, which produces the characteristic rounding of the landforms (e.g. Linton, 1955;Waters, 1957;Brunsden, 1964;Thomas, 1974).…”

Section: Abstract (Maximum 200 Words)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In his classic paper, Linton (1955) Including tors on Bodmin Moor, Gerrard (1978) determined that the tors fall into two groups: 1) summit and valleyside tors and 2) emergent tors. Joints are more closely spaced and spacing is more variable in summit and valleyside tors.…”

Section: Landform Classificationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although "tor" is a landform type to be tested in the hypotheses, this term is used in the classification because that is what the landforms are called on Dartmoor (an excellent example of confused terminology!). A topographic classification is used because similar classifications were described by Linton (1955) and used by Gerrard (1974Gerrard ( , 1978. This topographic classification does not correspond to the landforms defined in the hypotheses, or necessarily to those described by Linton 6 or Gerrard, but small domes, lamellar tors, blocky/castellated tors and pinnacles are all present on Partmoor and are included within these topographic categor4es.…”

Section: Geomorphic Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Classification of Dartmoor Tors

Ehlen¹

1992

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AFifty-eight Dartmoor tors were evaluated with respect to hypotheses generated to classify granite landforms using field and laboratory measurements of joint type, joint spacing, rock grain size, and rock texture.Landforms on Dartmoor were classified topographically as summit, spur and valleyside tors. The data were evaluated using: 1) non-parametric correlations, 2) joint spacing frequency distributions, 3) variable spatial distributions, and 4) principal coordinates analysis and non-hierarchical classification.Each tor type waý. defined by each procedures; definitions were similar, but not identical. Thesc definitions were then compared to the hypotheses.Three hypotheses describe landforms on Dartmoor. An additional hypotheses is indirectly supported because, where the landforms are rare or non-existent, so are their characteristics. These hypotheses, which all describe summit tors, were revised using the combined results of the four approaches; new hypotheses. were generated for spur and valleyside tors.Only characteristics common to several procedures and not contradicted by other results were used "The four types of sunit landforms are slightly different, bu ivn general, they have high relative relief, wide vertical joint spacing, and are controlled by vertical joints or by vertical and horizontal joints combined. The rocks are megacrystic and feldspar is abundant. Spur tors generallyhave narrower vertic(ia joint spacing and low relative relief.The rocks are finer grained, feebly megacrystic or nonmegacrystic, and low in potassium feldspar.Valleyside tots have low relative relief, narrow joint spacing, and horizontal joints control outcrop shape.T.he rocks are finer grained, feebly megacrystic, and contain small amounts of quartz. 92-281161/

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Section: Abstract (Maximum 200 Words)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Landform Classificationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geomorphic Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Classification of Dartmoor Tors

Ehlen¹

1992

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“…Since they believed that the Alpine folding occurred in the late Oligocene and early Miocene, they attributed the peneplain to a period of crustal stability in the Neogene (late Miocene and early Pliocene). One classic area which Wooldridge and Linton (1955) identified for this feature was in the Chalk uplands of Wessex. Wooldridge (1952) noted that a plane 800 feet (240 m) above sea-level would pass close to many of the summits of southern England.…”

Section: The Neogenementioning

confidence: 99%

“…8). Rolling upland topography, with its famous tors and basins, would result from long-term differential denudation, accomplished mainly by deep weathering and stripping of saprolite (Linton 1955, Eden & Green 1971, Green 1985. In particular, the mantle of grus weathering described thoroughly by Eden and Green (1971), which is present all over Dartmoor, would date back to the late Tertiary.…”

Section: Pre-quaternary Geomorphological Legacy and Tangible Geoheritmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pre-Quaternary geomorphological history and geoheritage of Britain

Migoń

Goudie

2012

Quaestiones Geographicae

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AbstrAct. Substantial parts of the British Isles preserve landscapes that are the legacy of pre-Quaternary times. Some of these may be the result of burial and exhumation of pre-Cenozoic features. However, most landscapes post-date the Cretaceous transgression during which a Chalk mantle was laid down. Much of the British Isles became land during the Palaeogene and the Chalk cover was rapidly removed over large areas. Sea floor spreading, thermal uplift, and intrusion and extrusion of igneous material occurred. Landscapes also evolved in response to warm climatic conditions and this may have led to etchplanation. In the Neogene various surface formed and were affected by ongoing tectonic activity. Various estimates have been made of Cenozoic denudation rates and amounts, but they appear to have varied spatially and temporally. Landscapes which provide tangible evidence of pre-Quaternary times include those of north-east Scotland and southern England. Such ancient landscapes are important components of the Geoheritage of Britain.

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Controls of tor formation, Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland

et al. 2014

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Tors occur in many granitic landscapes and provide opportunities to better understand differential weathering. We assess tor formation in the Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland, by examining correlation of tor location and size with grain size and the spacing of steeply dipping joints. We infer a control on these relationships and explore its potential broader significance for differential weathering and tor formation. We also assess the relationship between the formation of subhorizontal joints in many tors and local topographic shape by evaluating principle surface curvatures from a digital elevation model of the Cairngorms. We then explore the implications of these joints for tor formation. We conclude that the Cairngorm tors have formed in kernels of relatively coarse grained granite. Tor volumes increase with grain size and the spacing of steeply dipping joints. We infer that the steeply dipping joints largely formed during pluton cooling and are more widely spaced in tor kernels because of slower cooling rates. Preferential tor formation in coarser granite with a wider joint spacing that is more easily grusified indicates that joint spacing is a dominant control on differential weathering. Sheet jointing is well developed in tors located on relatively high convex surfaces. This jointing formed after the gross topography of the Cairngorms was established and before tor emergence. The presence of closely spaced (tens of centimeters), subhorizontal sheeting joints in tors indicates that these tors, and similarly sheeted tors elsewhere, formed either after subaerial exposure of bedrock or have progressively emerged from a regolith only a few meters thick.

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The Problem of Tors

Cited by 220 publications

References 0 publications

Classification of Dartmoor Tors

Classification of Dartmoor Tors

Pre-Quaternary geomorphological history and geoheritage of Britain

Controls of tor formation, Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland

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