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Abstract

In the speleological literature three terms are utilized to designate the “ascending erosion”: paragenesis (= paragénésis, coined in 1968), antigravitative erosion (= erosione antigravitativa, coined in 1966) and antigravitational erosion (wrong English translation of the Italian term erosione antigravitativa, utilized later on). The term paragenesis should be abandoned because of the priority of the term erosione antigravitativa - on the ground of the “law of priority” – and because of its ambiguous etimology. On the other hand, the term antigravitational erosion should be forsaken in favour of the term antigravitative erosion, given the meaning that the terms gravitation and gravity have in Physics. Therefore, to designate the phenomenon of the “ascending erosion” there would be nothing left but the term antigravitative erosion. The antigravitative erosion process and its recognizability are illustrated. Examples of caves with evident antigravitative erosion phenomena, developed in different karstifiable rocks and in several parts of the world, are given. It is recalled that the antigravitative erosion is a phenomenon well-known since 1942 and widely proven and supported, and that it is relatively easy – in many cases - to recognize the antigravitative origin of karstic passages. It is stressed that the antigravitative erosion is an important phenomenon, exclusive of the karstic caves and unique in nature.

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.38.2.4

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