Final answer:
Micro-features of a cliff, such as notches, pockets, gullies, and clinoforms, are formed by geological processes including erosion, the angle of underlying strata, and the composition of cliff materials like calcium carbonate from organisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The micro-features of a cliff are smaller geological structures that contribute to the overall morphology of a cliff face. These can include notches, pockets, gullies, and clinoforms. For example, the angle of clinoforms, which are not flat, reflects the underlying sloping strata and is subject to the maximum angle of repose, determining how sediments will cascade down the slope.
The formation known as 'The Wave' at the Vermillion Cliffs, located on the border of Utah and Arizona, is a stunning example of the effects of erosion, carved by the dual forces of wind and water. Additionally, cliffs can be composed of various materials such as calcium carbonate, produced by organisms like coccolithophores and diatoms, as seen in deposits like the White Cliffs of Dover.
Erosional features can also include young gullies that indicate recent activity, potentially from underground water sources that briefly emerge before freezing or evaporating. Understanding the origin of these micro-features involves examining current geological processes as well as the historical composition of the materials involved, such as by dissolving host carbonate around fossils to reveal details of past life forms.