Monolith

, Brazil

A monolith is a geological feature consisting of a single massive stone or rock, such as some mountains, or a single large piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument or building. Erosion usually exposes the geological formations, which are often made of very hard and solid metamorphic or igneous rock.

In architecture, the term has considerable overlap with megalith, which is normally used for prehistory, and may be used in the contexts of rock-cut architecture that remains attached to solid rock, as in monolithic church, or for exceptionally large stones such as obelisks, statues, monolithic columns or large architraves, that may have been moved a considerable distance after quarrying. It may also be used of large glacial erratics moved by natural forces.

The word derives, via the Latin monolithus, from the Ancient Greek word μονόλιθος (monolithos), from μόνος ("one" or "single") and λίθος ("stone").

Geological monoliths

Large, well-known monoliths include:

Africa

Monolith (catalyst support)

A monolithic catalyst support is an extruded substrate widely used in vehicle catalytic converters.

Properties

Monolithic catalyst supports are extruded substrates that are widely used in automotive and stationary emission control devices and other kind of reactors in the chemical industry. In automotive applications ceramic monoliths are made of synthetic cordierite, 2MgO*2Al₂O₃*5SiO₂ which has a low thermal expansion coefficient. A monolithic catalyst support consists of many parallel channels separated by thin walls that are coated with the catalytic active substance, most commonly a metal like platinum. The channels may be round or polygonal (mainly square or hexagonal). The structure is reminiscent of a honeycomb. The cell density may be from 30 to 200/cm² with the separating walls from 0.05 to 0.3 mm. Because of a high open frontal area (the open spaces in the cross-sectional area) of 72 to 87% pressure loss of gases flowing through the structure is low, an important feature to minimize efficiency losses in vehicles.

Monolith (Death Cube K album)

Monolith is a box set made by avant-garde music composer Buckethead under the name of Death Cube K (an anagram of Buckethead), released in December 2007 through TDRS Music.

This box set contains five unmarked CD-Rs in unmarked digipaks, each one including only one unbroken track. Some listeners theorize the five discs are intended to be played simultaneously like Zaireeka by The Flaming Lips. The title Monolith as well as the result of combining the tracks have been cited as evidence for the theory by fans. Producer Travis Dickerson declined to solve the mystery.

Currently, this set is exclusively available on the TDRS website.

Track listing

Each song is a separate disc.

Credits

References

External links