Drift Pillars

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A rare picture showing internal cross stratification within a drift pillar. There is a thin film of fine clay just to the right of center, at the perimeter of the structure. The pillar is on the left, and contains coarser material.

The tops of several pillars or "hoodoos" in drift were exposed along a roadside as loose sand was eroded by wind. This was along Balmoral Road, Cambridge, Ontario.

It is hard to understand how these structures could have been formed in unconsolidated sand in any sedimentary environment. However, these features can be explained in terms of an in situ disintegration process.

The structures illustrated above are discussed and explained futher in the article Pillars, Polystrate Formations, and Potholes where these photos are included as figures.


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