O PROJEKTU | ABOUT THE PROJECT

Tafoni (tafone, taffoni) je na podlagi vzorcev s Korzike kot geomorfološki izraz uvedel A. Penck (1894 ) (Vir: Penck, A. 1894. Morphologie der Erdoberflaeche. Engelshorn, Stutgart, 2 zvezek)

Tafoni so vdolbine nastale zaradi posrednega ali neposrednega preperevanja srednje ali grobo zrnatih kristalinskih kamenin zaradi vpliva kisline. Tafoni se lahko zaradi delovanja kisline oz. kislih dejavnikov (kisla vlaga, pršec) pojavijo tudi na peščenjaku, apnencu ali škriljevcu. Vdolbine različnih oblik se pogosto pojavljajo v skupinah, prepredajoč pobočja, sten in ostalih skalnih formacij.

Vdolbine v obliki tafonov so velikosti od nekaj centimetrov, decimetrov ali celo nekaj metrov. Vdolbine manjše kot npr. nogometna žoga se smatrajo za miniaturne tafone. Po obliki so tafoni običajno elipsaste ali sferične obike znotraj odprtine - v obliki previsa. Zunanja stran tafona je trdna, notranja, kjer deluje kislonsko preperevanje pa je krhka in jo lahko npr. odkrušimo že s pritiskom prsta.

Tafone lahko nademo v vseh klimatskih območjih vendar so najbolj pogosti v obalnih območjih ali polpuščavah in puščavah.

Ostale razlage za nastanek tafonov poleg kislinskega preperevanja so tudi preperevanje zaradi vpliva soli, prepustnosti kamnine, razlike v strukturi kamnine, vpliv periodičnega delovanje vlage-sušenja in vpliva zmrzali in taljenja vode.

Tafoni (tafone, taffoni) was on the basis of samples from Corsica (France) as a geomorphologic term implemented as a geomorphologic term by A. Penck in 1894 (Source: Penck, A. 1894. Morphologie der Erdoberflaeche. Engelshorn, Stutgart, 2nd volume).

Tafoni are forms of cavernous weathering, chiefly found in medium-grained and coarse-grained, acid to intermediate, crystalline rocks, but also occurring in other rocks such as sandstone, limestone, and schist. They often occur in groups that can riddle a hillside, cliff, or other rock formation.

These hollows range in diameter and depth from some centimetres to a decimeter or so to several meters, though those smaller than a football are sometimes distinguished as miniature tafoni. In shape, they tend to be ellipsoidal or spherical, enlarging inside the opening. The larger ones frequently exhibit thin, canopy-like overhangs on their upper margins, whereas their lower margins are smoothed over. Smaller rounded depressions may diversify the larger tafoni, especially in the roof. Side-tafoni, breaching the steep sides of boulders and of pillars and domes of bedrock, have been distinguished from basal-tafoni

They can be found in all climate types, but are most abundant in intertidal areas and semi-arid and arid deserts. Currently favored explanations controlling their formation include salt weathering, differential cementation, structural variation in permeability, wetting-drying, and freezing-thawing cycles, variability in lithology, case hardening and core softening, and/or micro-climate changes and variation (i.e. moisture availability).

Tafoni have also been called fretting, stonelace, stone lattice, honeycomb weathering, and alveolar weathering.