The geomorphological survey of the pseudokarst in the area of Lamayuru paleolake badlands (Moonland), Ladakh region, India

Abstract

Lamayuru Badlands have developed in the area of lacustrine sediments of a former lake from Ladakh region, North-West India that was set up 35-40,000 years BP at 3,600 m above sea level due to a catastrophic landslide triggered by the neotectonic activity on the Indus Suture Zone. After disappearance of lake, around 1000 years ago, the exposed sediments, which had thicknesses up to 200 m and consisted of alternating beds of mud, clay, mud-clay, silt clay, sand, breccia, and carbonate rich beds, were partially removed by fluvial erosion. Also, due to lithological characteristics of the sediments, neotectonic activity and climate conditions, a peculiar badland landscape within a cold dry mountainous desert was created. The badland landscape, which evolved under natural conditions, is dominated by dissected east-west valleys and interfluves whereon overlap the semi-carbonate karst landforms expressed by a dense sinkholes network that resulted into topographic surface with egg crate morphology.