Possible origin and evolution of the crescent-shaped karst in Baling, Kedah, West Malaysia

Gunung Pulai and Gunung Baling (~500m a.s.l.) form the southern end of a crescent shaped ridge to the north of the town of Baling, in Kedah. This landscape is the result of karstification of the coarse sparry marble of the Baling Group, and an example of tropical karst remnant towers (karstinselberge) which are common in Peninsular Malaysia in areas with much thicker limestone. Together with the neighboring hill to the northwest, the limestone complex is possibly the remnant of a doline (a circular feature with a depression in the middle), with a diameter of about 4km. The crescent topography is formed possibly by collapse of more than half of its northwestern limb. Baling Formation comprises a variety of argillaceous, calcareous and arenaceous strata in which argillaceous beds are predominant. The Lower Silurian limestone occurs as bands, lenses or compounds of lenses measuring from a few mm to 1.6km, with the nearest distinct karst outcrop is about 10km away to the southeast. The Baling karst is the most distinct karst landscape in this area and exhibits a typical tropical karst tower despite its relatively thin strata. It hosts at least 21 caves, which are part of a system of channels and conduits draining rainwater from the ridge into Sungai Ketil. Using GIS, geomorphological analysis is carried out in an attempt to describe the landscape and its possible origin and evolution.

Glossary; gunung:mountain, sungai:river