Effective factors and processes in the formation of Kula fairy chimneys

Badlands topography is the typical landforms seen especially in areas where arid and semi-arid climatic conditions are effective. These topographic forms often develop on unconsolidated volcanic, volcano-sedimentary or sedimentary rocks. It is the topography shapes that develop under the influence of flood waters in areas where vegetation is not well developed and infrequent. Fairy chimneys are unique and special landforms that develop on badlands. This study was carried out in the southern part of the Selendi Basin, located in the Central Western Anatolia Region of the Aegean Region in Western Anatolia. Kula Fairy Chimneys are systematically investigated in terms of formation and development mechanisms. In the study, the lithological features of the rocks where fairy chimneys developed have been emphasized and the relationship between the formation of fairy chimneys and rocks has been revealed. In this context, the textural properties of rocks have been studied using various laboratory analyzes. Fairy Chimneys developed on the geological unit named as Ahmetler Formation. This Formation is colluvial-fluvial deposits consisting of conglomerate, claystone and siltstone alternation. The rocks in the cap part are very oxidized, hard and therefore have good cementing degree. The body parts of the fairy chimneys are generally formed by alternating fine and coarse sedimentary rocks over each other. It has been determined that cap units have a high porosity rate. It is observed that the minerals in the hat are interconnected with ferrous cement. In the body units, chloritization and sericitization (claying) were found intensely.