A butte (IPA: /bju:t/) is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small flat top, smaller than mesas and plateaus. For the Kia Motors Sedona automobile see Kia Carnival Sedona (sɨˈdoʊnə is a city and community that straddles A mesa ( Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic for "table" is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting Buttes are prevalent in the western United States. The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost The word "butte" comes from a French word meaning "small hill". French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people
Distinction from mesa
One standard holds that a mesa has a surface area over 1,000 square meters, while a butte has a surface area less than 1,000 square meters (11,250 square feet). Geographers use the rule of thumb that a mesa has a top that is greater than three times its height, while a butte's top is less than three times its height.
Formation
Buttes are formed by erosion when a cap of hard rock, often of volcanic origin, covers a layer of softer rock that is easily worn away. Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the The hard rock avoids erosion while the soft rock around it wears down. One example of a noted butte is Chimney Rock. This article is about the landmark in Nebraska along the historic Oregon Trail and Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail; for other uses see Chimney Rock (disambiguation
External links
- "Mesas and Buttes" photographs and examples
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