Karst Processes, Karst Processes, Landforms, and Landforms, and

LandscapesLandscapes

Karst FlowKarst Flow

Diffuse vs. conduit flow Primary vs. secondary porosity

Karst Karst MaterialsMaterials

Carbonate Rocks Limestone Dolomite

Other materials Salt Gypsum Ice Permafrost?

GEOMORPHLIST Sandstone?

Copyright © Carmen Krapf 2002

Cave in sandstone, Namibia

Porosity and Porosity and PermeabilityPermeability

Recrystallization of carbonate Calcite/

aragonite Faulting,

jointing Bedding

Carbonate GeochemistryCarbonate Geochemistry Low-temperature geochemistry

Calcite and water; pH ~ 10, 12-15 ppm Effectively insoluble!

Calcite, water, and air CO2; pH ~ 8.4, 50 ppm Very slow – like soil formation

Calcite, water, and soil CO2; pH ~ 4-7, <700 ppm

H2O + CO2 H2CO3 [carbonic acid]

H2CO3 H+ + HCO3-

CaCO3 Ca++ + CO3--

CO3-- + H + HCO3

-

Now that will eat rock!

Variables Affecting Karst Variables Affecting Karst FormationFormation

Precipitation Temperature Organic matter Turbulence

Copyright © Frank Eckardt 2002

Effects of mixingEffects of mixing

“Two waters meetin’, limestone is eaten.”

Water sources Water table Lakes, etc.

Acid sources Cave types

Meteoric (CO2) Hydrothermal

(H2S)

Cavern FormationCavern Formation

Where max. solution? Surface Water

table Confluence

Effects of lithology/ structure

Cave Networks – Wind Cave Networks – Wind CaveCave

Note structural control!

Lechuguilla Cave Lechuguilla Cave (Carlsbad, NM)(Carlsbad, NM)

http://www.esri.com/industries/cavekarst/graphics/lech_3d_bg.jpg

Geochemical Geochemical transitionstransitions

Charging w/ soil CO2

Solu

tion

of

carb

onat

e

Degassing

Precipitation of CaCO3

SpeleothemsSpeleothems

Stalactites Stalagmites Columns Flowstone Cave bacon Cave popcorn Helictites Shields…

http://www.cumberlandadventures.com/cave/form.html

SpeleothemsSpeleothems

Copyright © Stephane Veyrat-Charvillon 2002 Copyright © Lynn Fielding 2002

Distribution of KarstDistribution of Karst Typical of cratons

Carbonate + evaporite deposition at high sea-stands

Distribution of KarstDistribution of Karst Typical of cratons

Carbonate + evaporite deposition at high sea-stands

Horizontal (diapirs?) Floridan, Interior plateaus, Edwards;

Madison

Karst Karst terminologyterminology Cvijic (1893) - “krs

[karst]” – bleak, waterless

Davis, Penck, Bretz Karren, lapies, grike and

clint “Sinkholes”

Dolines, cenotes, cockpits…

Polje, Uvalas Kegelkarst, tower karst

Drainage Sinks/springs Valleys – dry,

pocket, blind,through

Copyright © Jelena Calic-Ljubojevic 2002

Copyright © Andrew Goudie 2002

Karst Karst landscapeslandscapes

Inputs and outputsInputs and outputs

FundamentFundamental Karst al Karst

LandformsLandforms

Doline (sinkhole, cenote)

Origins Solution Subsidence Collapse

Winter Park sinkhole Winter Park sinkhole (1981)(1981)

100 m across One day During

drought (water table lowering?)

On city Web page; now an urban lake.

Winter Park sinkhole.kmz

CenotesCenotes Yucatan,

Florida… Developed

during glaciations

Flooded during interglaciations

Explored by diving

Complex FormsComplex Forms

Polje (oval); uvala (complex)

Copyright © Jelena Calic-Ljubojevic 2002

Karst Karst LandscapLandscap

eses Cockpit karst Tower karst

Copyright © Frank Eckardt 2002

What types of karst depression does each of the following lakes occupy?Lake Altamaha Twin Lakes Crystal LakeLake Serena Lake Belle

Lake Altamaha solution dolineTwin Lakes solution or subsidence uvalaCrystal Lake solution dolineLake Serena subsidence dolineLake Belle solution or subsidence uvala

Popo Agie Sinks.kmz

Karst HydrologyKarst Hydrology

Sinks, Swallets, Swallow holes… EX:

Map view

Popo Agie Sinks.kmz

Karst HydrologyKarst Hydrology Sinks, Swallets, Swallow holes, Ponors… EX:

Map view Sink Resurgence/spring

Case Study: Mammoth Case Study: Mammoth CaveCave

Interior low plateaus

Sinkholes and uvala

Sinks and springs

Case Study: Mammoth Case Study: Mammoth CaveCave

Interior low plateaus

Sinkholes and uvala

Sinks and springs

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.kmz

Sinkholes, Uvalas, and Sinkholes, Uvalas, and CavesCaves

http://www.esri.com/industries/cavekarst/

GeologyGeology

Stratigraphy Structure

Block DiagramBlock Diagram

Cave Cave ExplorationExploration

“The Longest Cave” Now over

300 miles of interconnected passages

Best explored in drought!

Mam

moth Cave

Flint Cave

Cave Cave ExplorationExploration

“The Longest Cave” Now over

300 miles of interconnected passages

Best explored in drought!

Mam

moth Cave

Flint Cave

Mammoth Cave Mammoth Cave EvolutionEvolution

Theoretical evolution (undated) Upper = older, lower = younger Incision = interglacial,

stability/infilling = glacialTIME