6.6 Karstification by Geothermal Waters

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Publication Date

January 2013

Abstract

Thermal waters moving through soluble rock may create voids ranging in sizes from enlarged porosity and cavernosity to extensive two- and three-dimensional cave systems. Hydrothermal caves develop in a number of settings including deep-seated phreatic, shallow phreatic (near-water table), and subaerial (above the thermal water table). Speleogenesis in each setting involves specific mechanisms, resulting in diverse features of cave macro-, meso-, and micromorphology. Mechanisms most characteristic of the hydrothermal speleogenesis are the free convection (in both subaqueous and subaerial conditions) and the condensation corrosion. This chapter describes the morphology of hydrothermal caves.

Keywords

Cave, Condensation Corrosion, Convection, Cupola, Hydrothermal Karst, Hypogene Karst Morphology, Rising Flow

Document Type

Article

Identifier

SFS0039965_00001

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