A Study on Weathering Processes of Tafoni in Mt. Cheonsaeng, Gumi, the Republic of Korea: Interpretation of Water Content Data using GIS Interpolation Analysis

This study examines the processes of rock weathering and tafoni formation targeting tafoni at Mt. Cheonsaeng, Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. In the study area, a frequency of tafoni is high in conglomerate and conglomeratic sandstone among regional sedimentary rocks, which means that an initial stage of the formation begins a breakaway of gravel from bedrock and also exfoliation from rock surface. Geomorphologically tafoni have intensively been developed at the southfacing slope with exposed rocks, which means that its formation was favorably controlled by environmental conditions including strong influences of mechanical weathering in winter and chemical weathering in summer times. The results of measuring water content at a tafoni-bearing rock surface using GIS interpolation analysis indicate that moisture rate in/around tafoni is higher than the periphery. Thus, it is considered that moisture distribution at a rock surface plays a role in its formation. Analysis of percipitation and secondary minerals induced by chemical weathering is in progress.