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A butte (IPA: /bju:t/) is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small flat top, smaller than mesas, plateaus, and tables. In some regions the word is simply used for any hill. Buttes are prevalent in the western United States. The word "butte" comes from a French word meaning "small hill"; its use is prevalent in the western United States except the southwest, where "mesa" is used instead.
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Distinction from mesa
One standardcitation needed 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 wider than its height, while a butte's top is narrower than its height.1
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. The hard rock avoids erosion while the soft rock around it wears down. One example of a noted butte is Chimney Rock. On a much smaller scale, the same process forms hoodoos.
 Butte near Sedona, Arizona |
 Black Butte, near Sisters, Oregon |
 Signal Butte near Big Spring, Texas2 |
See also
Notes
- ^ "Mesa and butte". Science Clarified. Retrieved on 2008-06-30.
- ^ Hill, R.T. 1890. A brief description of the Cretaceous rocks of Texas and their economic value. In: Dumble, E.T. (ed.), First Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Texas, 1889. Austin: State Printing Office, pp. 105-141.
External links
- "Mesas and Buttes" photographs and examples
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- This page was last modified on 12 November 2008, at 13:12.
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