丹霞地貌，张掖国家地质公园，甘肃省，中国 Danxia landform, Zhangye National Geopark, Gansu, China (© Weiquan Lin/Getty Images)

条纹中的地球故事 Earth's story in stripes

国际地质多样性日

如果一座山能用一道道条纹向你展示它的地质历史，会是什么样？在中国的张掖国家地质公园，岩石正是如此。红色、橙色、黄色、棕色以及其他大地色调的条带在山脊间绵延起伏。这种壮丽景观被称为丹霞地貌，由地质年代中沉积形成的多层沉积岩塑造而成。后来，构造力使岩石抬升并发生褶皱，而风化和侵蚀则将它们雕琢成山脊、峭壁、沟壑和山峰。

“丹霞”这个名称的字面意思是玫瑰色的云霞。这些颜色来自岩石本身，其中矿物质和化学过程造就了不同的色调。例如，氧化铁形成了其大部分标志性的红色，而矿物质和沉积物的差异则构成了更加丰富的色彩。

张掖于2020年被指定为联合国教科文组织世界地质公园，坐落在甘肃，这一地区与古丝绸之路有着密切联系。值此国际地质多样性日，它以斑斓的色彩提醒我们：地球最杰出的艺术作品坚如磐石。

International Geodiversity Day

What if a mountain range could show you its geological history in stripes? At Zhangye National Geopark in China, the rocks do exactly that. Ridges roll across the landscape in bands of red, orange, yellow, brown, and other earthy tones. Known as the Danxia landform, this striking landscape was shaped by layers of sedimentary rock deposited over geological time. Tectonic forces later uplifted and folded the rocks, while weathering and erosion carved them into ridges, cliffs, gullies, and peaks.

The name Danxia literally translates to rosy clouds. The colors come from the rocks themselves, with minerals and chemical processes contributing to the different shades. Iron oxides, for instance, are responsible for much of its characteristic red coloring, while variations in minerals and sediment create its broader palette.

Designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2020, Zhangye is located in Gansu, a region linked to the ancient Silk Road. For International Geodiversity Day, it is a colorful reminder that Earth's best artwork is rock-solid.