Aarmassif

The Aar Massif is the largest Massif Central ( the geological formation of a crystalline basement ) of the Swiss Alps. It belongs to the Western Alps

Geology

The Aar Massif belongs next to the Gotthard massif, the Aiguilles Rouges-/Arpille-Massiv and the Mont Blanc massif to the four central massifs of the Swiss Alps. It is geologically known as the Massif Central, because although it is compressed as a crystalline basement, but not has been involved in the construction of the Helvetic ceiling and is therefore regarded as indigenous.

It's location -based rock, so the Alpine formation hardly shifted rock ( solid ), mainly gneiss and granite, and slate and amphibolite. This originated in the earth's crust many kilometers below the seabed. The granite is penetrated before about 280 million years ago ( Central Aaregranit ). Both the crystalline rocks and the overlying sediments of the Mesozoic belong to the region of the so-called Helvetic which - unlike most other parts of the Alps - long before the closure of the Tethys was part of the European continent and its shelf seas and in about the then southern edge of the European continent was formed. In a tertiary uplift and erosion of the overlying sediments took place. In part it was a thrust of the crystalline mass north across remnants of the sediments, as to the Virgin and to the south of the Eiger.

The Aar Massif is divided into elongated zones that extend on the east-west axis. From north to south these are the Lauterbrunner and Within Kirchner -crystallin, the Altkristallin north of Aaregranits, the Central Aaregranit (the largest granite body of Switzerland with 500 km ² in area Grimsel Göscheneralp Reusstal which has penetrated 300 million years ago ) and the southern gneiss zone (high proportion of augen gneiss ).

Geography

The Aar Massif extends geology in east-west direction north of Alpine Longitudinal Valley of about Leukerbad to Todi. In the area of Todi and Cavistrau to about to Brigels towards the Aar Massif only forms the base of the mountains, whose peaks are composed of sediments. Further north and east of the Aar Massif is ever open only in extremely deep valleys, so the Limmerensee and between Gigerwald and Vättis ( Vättner window). Located southwest of Leukerbad Leuk and bathes the Aar Massif from under the Pennine ceiling of the Valais Alps.

There is underground in connection with the massifs of Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles Rouges, the west already come to the fore of morals on the south side of the Grand Chavalard again.

Significant peaks

Bietschhorn, Aletschhorn, Jungfrau, Mönch, Finstaarhorn, Schreckhorn, Dammastock, Bristen, Oberalpstock.