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Full-Text Articles in Earth Sciences
Unconfined Hypogene Evaporite Karst: West Texas And Southeastern New Mexico, Usa, Kevin W. Stafford, Jon T. Ehrhart, Adam F. Majzoub, Jessica M. Shields, Wesley A. Brown
Unconfined Hypogene Evaporite Karst: West Texas And Southeastern New Mexico, Usa, Kevin W. Stafford, Jon T. Ehrhart, Adam F. Majzoub, Jessica M. Shields, Wesley A. Brown
International Journal of Speleology
Diverse karst phenomena occur throughout the Gypsum Plain where the Castile Formation crops out over ~1800 km2 in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Hypergene karst is extensive and widespread, while traditional hypogene karst manifestations (both caves and intrastratal dissolution) occur in high frequency in the western outcrop region where surface denudation has been the greatest so as to induce surficial breaching. Unconfined hypogene karst occurrences have been recently identified, including two general variations: 1) artesian-like discharge features; and 2) venting structures. Artesian-like discharge features arise at surficially-breached hypogene caves and through high permeability regions on the margins of …
Geothermal Flux And Phreatic Speleogenesis In Gypsum, Halite, And Quartzite Rocks, Giovanni Badino
Geothermal Flux And Phreatic Speleogenesis In Gypsum, Halite, And Quartzite Rocks, Giovanni Badino
International Journal of Speleology
The first layers of rock underground are in thermal contact with the external atmosphere mainly through infiltrating meteoric water. This relatively cool zone absorbs rising geothermal energy, which heats the water. If the aquifer consists of gypsum, halite or quartzite, the water at those depths is usually salt-saturated, so the increase in temperature renders the water aggressive again. This in turn leads to rock dissolution and formation of phreatic conduits. This way, the geothermal flow creates caves that do not necessarily reach the surface. This paper analyzes the speed of the excavation, which, in different types of rocks, depends only …