Solution Processes & Karst Solution Processes & Karst TopographyTopography

Impact of Solution ProcessImpact of Solution Process

Solution and PrecipitationSolution and Precipitation

Caverns and Related FeaturesCaverns and Related Features

Karst TopographyKarst Topography

Hydrothermal featuresHydrothermal features

Chapter 17

Solution and PrecipitationSolution and Precipitation

– Carbonic acidCarbonic acid Dissolved carbon dioxide Dissolved carbon dioxide

gasgas– Dissolution ProcessesDissolution Processes

Weathers/erodes all rocksWeathers/erodes all rocks– Carbonate sedimentary Carbonate sedimentary

rock - limestonerock - limestone– Bedrock structureBedrock structure

Role in dissolutionRole in dissolution More openings, more More openings, more

groundwater penetrationgroundwater penetration– Precipitation processesPrecipitation processes

Minerals precipitate outMinerals precipitate out Hot better than coldHot better than cold

Chapter 17 Solution Processes and Karst Topography

Caverns and Related FeaturesCaverns and Related Features

– CavernCavern Large Large Open underground areasOpen underground areas Limestone depositionsLimestone depositions

– 2 stages2 stages Initial excavationInitial excavation

– Dissolves bedrockDissolves bedrock– Leaves voidsLeaves voids

Decoration stageDecoration stage– Compounds left behind Compounds left behind – Speleothem - Speleothem -

Precipitated deposits of Precipitated deposits of mineralsminerals

Stalactite – hangs Stalactite – hangs downdown

Stalagmite – Stalagmite – develops from develops from ground up ground up

Chapter 17 Solution Processes and Karst Topography

Karst TopographyKarst Topography

– KarstKarst Sinkhole (doline)Sinkhole (doline)

– Depression Depression Collapse dolineCollapse doline

– Collapsed cavern roofCollapsed cavern roof UvalaUvala

– Chain of intersecting Chain of intersecting sinkholessinkholes

Tower karstTower karst– Steep-sided hillsSteep-sided hills

MogoteMogote– Haystack hillsHaystack hills

Swallow holeSwallow hole– Opening in sinkhole Opening in sinkhole

where surface where surface drainage can escapedrainage can escape Chapter 17 Solution Processes and Karst Topography

Hydrothermal FeaturesHydrothermal Features

– Hot springsHot springs Hot water through Hot water through

fissuresfissures– GeysersGeysers

Water ejected hot Water ejected hot springspring

– FumarolesFumaroles Steam ejected hot Steam ejected hot

springspring– YellowstoneYellowstone

3 conditions3 conditions– Heat sourceHeat source– Abundance of waterAbundance of water– Weak ground surfaceWeak ground surface

Chapter 17 Solution Processes and Karst Topography

Supplemental SlidesSupplemental Slides

The following slides are provided The following slides are provided as supplemental materials and as supplemental materials and

explanations for chapter explanations for chapter concepts.concepts.

Chapter 17 Solution Processes and Karst Topography

Landform Landform DevelopmentDevelopment

Karst LandformsKarst Landforms– Landforms developed as a result of the Landforms developed as a result of the

dissolving of limestone by groundwaterdissolving of limestone by groundwater Humid climate with ample precipitationHumid climate with ample precipitation

– If in arid climates, developed in past climates that If in arid climates, developed in past climates that were wetterwere wetter

Active movement of groundwater – ability to Active movement of groundwater – ability to continually replace minerally dissolved continually replace minerally dissolved unsaturated waterunsaturated water

SinkholesSinkholes – circular depression landforms – circular depression landforms

Chapter 17 Solution Processes and Karst Topography

SinkholesSinkholes– Solution sinkholesSolution sinkholes

Depressions caused by dissolutionDepressions caused by dissolution

– Collapse sinkolesCollapse sinkoles Depressions caused by subsidence Depressions caused by subsidence

– Caves / cavernsCaves / caverns System of connected passageways within soluble rockSystem of connected passageways within soluble rock

– Disappearing streamsDisappearing streams Streams that lose their surface flow through infiltrationStreams that lose their surface flow through infiltration

– Swallow holeSwallow hole Rivers swallowed by caverns thuough holes in cavesRivers swallowed by caverns thuough holes in caves

– DolinesDolines Another term for sinkholes Another term for sinkholes

– Valley sinks (Uvalas)Valley sinks (Uvalas) Coalescence of sinkholes into larger structureCoalescence of sinkholes into larger structure

– Haystack hills (hums)Haystack hills (hums) Remnant landforms in form of small hillsRemnant landforms in form of small hills

Chapter 17 Solution Processes and Karst Topography

Limestone Cave Limestone Cave FeaturesFeatures

SpeleothemsSpeleothems– Depostional forms in cavesDepostional forms in caves

StalaStalacctitestites– Travertine or dripstone deposits that hang from Travertine or dripstone deposits that hang from cceilings of eilings of

cavescaves StalaStalaggmitesmites

– Travertine or dripstone deposits that develop from floors Travertine or dripstone deposits that develop from floors ((gground) of cavesround) of caves

SpeleologySpeleology– The science of cavern studies - cavesThe science of cavern studies - caves

Geothermal waterGeothermal water– Hot or boiling groundwaterHot or boiling groundwater

Hot springHot spring– Geothermal water flowing outGeothermal water flowing out

GeyserGeyser– Intermittent geothermal water flowIntermittent geothermal water flow Chapter 17 Solution Processes and Karst Topography