Pub Date : 2024-01-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.53.1.2482
Ingrid Bejarano-Arias, Carole Nehme, Sebastian Breitenbach, Hanno Meyer, S. Modestou, D. Mouralis
The study of modern cave deposits forming under near isotopic equilibrium conditions can potentially help disentangle the processes influencing the oxygen isotope system and suitability of stalagmites as archives of past hydrological or thermal changes. We used cave monitoring to evaluate the impact of kinetic isotope fractionation and assess the conditions under which modern cave carbonates form in the Caumont cave and quarry system, located in Normandy, northwest France. Over 20 months, we collected climatological data, dripwater, and modern carbonate samples at 2–4-week intervals at three different stations inside the Caumont cave and quarry system. We find highly stable (10.4 ± 0.3°C – 11.3 ± 0.1°C) temperature in the deeper sections of the Caumont cave and quarry system. The temporal dynamics of δ18Odrip indicates that the drip water composition in Caumont reflects the original (though subdued) signal of precipitation, rather than the impact the seasonal to interannual cave air temperature has on isotopic fractionation. The monitoring reveals that δ13C of modern carbonate is influenced by prior carbonate precipitation that occurs during the summer season when evapotranspiration can minimize effective infiltration. Comparison of δ18O from dripwater and modern calcite, precipitated on glass plates and collected every two to four weeks, reveals that modern calcite forms near oxygen isotope equilibrium. A Hendy test on modern carbonate deposited on a stalagmite-shaped glass flask over 20 months confirms this finding because neither does δ13C increase with distance from the apex, nor are δ13C and δ18O positively correlated. We conclude that the δ13C signal in speleothems reflect summer (and longer-term) prior carbonate precipitation in response to effective infiltration dynamics, and that the δ18O signal likely reflects annual to multi-annual changes in the composition of precipitation above the cave.
{"title":"Climate monitoring in the Caumont cave and quarry system (northern France) reveal near oxygen isotopic equilibrium conditions for carbonate deposition","authors":"Ingrid Bejarano-Arias, Carole Nehme, Sebastian Breitenbach, Hanno Meyer, S. Modestou, D. Mouralis","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.53.1.2482","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.53.1.2482","url":null,"abstract":"The study of modern cave deposits forming under near isotopic equilibrium conditions can potentially help disentangle the processes influencing the oxygen isotope system and suitability of stalagmites as archives of past hydrological or thermal changes. We used cave monitoring to evaluate the impact of kinetic isotope fractionation and assess the conditions under which modern cave carbonates form in the Caumont cave and quarry system, located in Normandy, northwest France. Over 20 months, we collected climatological data, dripwater, and modern carbonate samples at 2–4-week intervals at three different stations inside the Caumont cave and quarry system. We find highly stable (10.4 ± 0.3°C – 11.3 ± 0.1°C) temperature in the deeper sections of the Caumont cave and quarry system. The temporal dynamics of δ18Odrip indicates that the drip water composition in Caumont reflects the original (though subdued) signal of precipitation, rather than the impact the seasonal to interannual cave air temperature has on isotopic fractionation. The monitoring reveals that δ13C of modern carbonate is influenced by prior carbonate precipitation that occurs during the summer season when evapotranspiration can minimize effective infiltration. Comparison of δ18O from dripwater and modern calcite, precipitated on glass plates and collected every two to four weeks, reveals that modern calcite forms near oxygen isotope equilibrium. A Hendy test on modern carbonate deposited on a stalagmite-shaped glass flask over 20 months confirms this finding because neither does δ13C increase with distance from the apex, nor are δ13C and δ18O positively correlated. We conclude that the δ13C signal in speleothems reflect summer (and longer-term) prior carbonate precipitation in response to effective infiltration dynamics, and that the δ18O signal likely reflects annual to multi-annual changes in the composition of precipitation above the cave.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" 23","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139393389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.53.1.2485
Cristina Liñán Baena, C. Jiménez de Cisneros, Yolanda Del Rosal, Paolo Forti
A new sub-type of folia named “reverse pseudo-gour” has been observed and described in the Nerja Cave, southern Spain. It consists of fairly vertical, thin barriers (about 5 mm high and 2 mm thick) that develop on the underside of a sub-horizontal surface (shelfstone) and grow in the opposite direction to normal gours (rimstone dams), generating sinuous shapes. Their mineral composition is essentially calcium carbonate, although globular aggregates composed of clay and phosphate minerals have also been identified. The genesis and evolution of these reverse pseudo-gours occur just at the air-water interface and are controlled by (1) the sub-horizontality of the surface on which they develop, (2) scarce to very scarce calcite supersaturation, and (3) progressive and slow lowering of the water level. Thus, reverse pseudo-gours represent the shape limit to which a folia reaches when its development occurs just below a nearly horizontal ceiling and the feeding water saturation is extremely low. Although this new sub-type of folia has only been observed in the Nerja Cave, it is highly probable that it exists in several other caves around the world because the factors controlling its development are not very strict.
{"title":"Reverse pseudo-gours: a new sub-type of folia observed in the Nerja Cave (SE Spain)","authors":"Cristina Liñán Baena, C. Jiménez de Cisneros, Yolanda Del Rosal, Paolo Forti","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.53.1.2485","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.53.1.2485","url":null,"abstract":"A new sub-type of folia named “reverse pseudo-gour” has been observed and described in the Nerja Cave, southern Spain. It consists of fairly vertical, thin barriers (about 5 mm high and 2 mm thick) that develop on the underside of a sub-horizontal surface (shelfstone) and grow in the opposite direction to normal gours (rimstone dams), generating sinuous shapes. Their mineral composition is essentially calcium carbonate, although globular aggregates composed of clay and phosphate minerals have also been identified. The genesis and evolution of these reverse pseudo-gours occur just at the air-water interface and are controlled by (1) the sub-horizontality of the surface on which they develop, (2) scarce to very scarce calcite supersaturation, and (3) progressive and slow lowering of the water level. Thus, reverse pseudo-gours represent the shape limit to which a folia reaches when its development occurs just below a nearly horizontal ceiling and the feeding water saturation is extremely low. Although this new sub-type of folia has only been observed in the Nerja Cave, it is highly probable that it exists in several other caves around the world because the factors controlling its development are not very strict.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":"177 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139015778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2462
Guido Gonzato, Enrico Borghi, Roberto Chignola, Nereo Preto, Guido Rossi
This paper describes a set of paleokarst caves at Torricelle Hills near Verona (Southern Alps, Italy.) At this locality, erosional surfaces and paleokarst cavities show that sedimentation of late Paleogene neritic limestones was interrupted by subaerial exposure. Karst features developed during a phase of marine regression that started after the early Oligocene and ended in the mid Miocene. These caves were originally completely filled by iron oxides- and hydrated oxides-rich paleosol sediments (ochre) that, for centuries, have been mined for pigments. Mining activity emptied the caves, leaving the voids and related shapes mostly intact; as a result, the original morphologies have been exhumed, making these caves a rare example of explorable paleokarst. These “ochre caves” were mapped in a series of surveys over a few years. The exploration of overall 4.5 km of accessible passages in four caves yielded a wealth of information on speleological features, stratigraphy, paleontology, and paleogeography, and here we exploit this information to infer the genesis of these unusual caves. Their evolution started in phreatic conditions, characterized by very slowly moving or still waters that led to the formation of solution facets. A vadose phase of development ensued, followed by infilling by reworked soil-derived sediment and associated paragenetic modifications. Sediment accumulation ended with the complete fossilization of the caves under epiphreatic conditions. Siliciclastic and carbonate sediments containing littoral fossils indicate that the caves developed in the vicinity of a coast, and that they were subject to marine ingression. Overall, these paleokarst coastal caves seem to be a fossilized example, well preserved and explorable, of the Carbonate Island Karst Model on larger islands. We interpret these caves as conduits that drained the freshwater lens in a spatially limited carbonate peninsula that existed in this part of the Lessini paleocoastline between the Oligocene and the Miocene.
{"title":"Paleokarst coastal caves at Torricelle Hills (Lessini Mountains, Venetian Prealps, Italy)","authors":"Guido Gonzato, Enrico Borghi, Roberto Chignola, Nereo Preto, Guido Rossi","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2462","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2462","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes a set of paleokarst caves at Torricelle Hills near Verona (Southern Alps, Italy.) At this locality, erosional surfaces and paleokarst cavities show that sedimentation of late Paleogene neritic limestones was interrupted by subaerial exposure. Karst features developed during a phase of marine regression that started after the early Oligocene and ended in the mid Miocene. These caves were originally completely filled by iron oxides- and hydrated oxides-rich paleosol sediments (ochre) that, for centuries, have been mined for pigments. Mining activity emptied the caves, leaving the voids and related shapes mostly intact; as a result, the original morphologies have been exhumed, making these caves a rare example of explorable paleokarst. These “ochre caves” were mapped in a series of surveys over a few years. The exploration of overall 4.5 km of accessible passages in four caves yielded a wealth of information on speleological features, stratigraphy, paleontology, and paleogeography, and here we exploit this information to infer the genesis of these unusual caves. Their evolution started in phreatic conditions, characterized by very slowly moving or still waters that led to the formation of solution facets. A vadose phase of development ensued, followed by infilling by reworked soil-derived sediment and associated paragenetic modifications. Sediment accumulation ended with the complete fossilization of the caves under epiphreatic conditions. Siliciclastic and carbonate sediments containing littoral fossils indicate that the caves developed in the vicinity of a coast, and that they were subject to marine ingression. Overall, these paleokarst coastal caves seem to be a fossilized example, well preserved and explorable, of the Carbonate Island Karst Model on larger islands. We interpret these caves as conduits that drained the freshwater lens in a spatially limited carbonate peninsula that existed in this part of the Lessini paleocoastline between the Oligocene and the Miocene.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":"77 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135347935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2468
Alena Gessert, Zdenko Hochmuth
Chemical denudation in karst is the basic process of karst relief formation. However, it is influenced by many factors of varying intensity that depend on the climatic conditions and characteristics of each given location. Based on measurable results of weight loss of limestone tablets, we monitored the intensity of chemical denudation in two areas of the Slovak Karst, Silica Plateau and Jasov Plateau that are situated in the most developed karst plateau region of Slovakia. Both experimental sites are similar in terms of geographical conditions, thus comparable between them. In each locality, we placed three sets of standardized tablets at a depth of 50 cm, 20 cm, and on the soil surface. The research began in December 2016 and has continued up to the end of 2021, with drying and weighing of the samples taking place each three months. The lowest weight loss was recorded on samples placed on the surface (in both sites) and the highest at the depth of 20 cm. This is due to biological activity in the soil during the growing season (2.65 - 2.82 mg/cm 2 /year). The highest weight losses over time are observed at the turn of winter and spring, where the effect of snowfall and snow melting water plays an important role. The average dissolution rate in the spring season is between 3.78 and 4.12 mg/cm 2 /year, whereas in winter is from 3.24 to 4.06 mg/cm 2 /year.
{"title":"Seasonal dynamics of karst surface dissolution based on a limestone tables experiment (Slovak karst)","authors":"Alena Gessert, Zdenko Hochmuth","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2468","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2468","url":null,"abstract":"Chemical denudation in karst is the basic process of karst relief formation. However, it is influenced by many factors of varying intensity that depend on the climatic conditions and characteristics of each given location. Based on measurable results of weight loss of limestone tablets, we monitored the intensity of chemical denudation in two areas of the Slovak Karst, Silica Plateau and Jasov Plateau that are situated in the most developed karst plateau region of Slovakia. Both experimental sites are similar in terms of geographical conditions, thus comparable between them. In each locality, we placed three sets of standardized tablets at a depth of 50 cm, 20 cm, and on the soil surface. The research began in December 2016 and has continued up to the end of 2021, with drying and weighing of the samples taking place each three months. The lowest weight loss was recorded on samples placed on the surface (in both sites) and the highest at the depth of 20 cm. This is due to biological activity in the soil during the growing season (2.65 - 2.82 mg/cm 2 /year). The highest weight losses over time are observed at the turn of winter and spring, where the effect of snowfall and snow melting water plays an important role. The average dissolution rate in the spring season is between 3.78 and 4.12 mg/cm 2 /year, whereas in winter is from 3.24 to 4.06 mg/cm 2 /year.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135588748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2473
Ditta Kicińska, Jacek Pawlak, Jacek Stienss
The Prokletije Mountains/Albanian Alps are the highest part of the Dinaric Mountains. Paradoxically, these mountains and their cave areas remain among the most enigmatic in Europe, having only recently become subjects of scientific research and cave exploration. This paper focuses on the Kolata and Greben massifs, where the highest, and thus the oldest, cave systems are located. Through the analysis of heavy mineral composition, the apatite-tourmaline index, and cluster analysis for mineralogical composition and uranium isotopic data, it becomes possible to identify the source areas for the cave clastic deposits. It also allow to distinguish multiple paleoflow directions, each corresponding to different stages of cave development. The older paleoflow was probably from south to north, whereas the younger one is inferred to have flown from east to west. The change in the paleodirection of sediment transportation was probably caused by Neogene tectonic movements. In the later period, because of the subsequent uplift of the Prokletije Mts. and their fragmentation into individual massifs, the transport to the caves was local and related to deglaciations. The deposition of the speleothem from the oldest caves of the Prokletije Mts. took place in the periods c. 381 and 308 ka (MIS 11 and MIS 9), which suggests that these levels had already passed from the phreatic to the vadose stage. Considering the morphology of the caves studied, we believe that these caves may have begun to form at least in the Middle Pleistocene. There are two generations of younger speleothems first at 163 ± 4 ka (MIS 6) and second from 92 ± 2 to 39.4 ± 2 ka (Weichselian age).
{"title":"An attempt to identify source areas of clastic deposits from selected caves of the Prokletije Mountains (Montenegro): a mineralogical and U-series geochemistry approach","authors":"Ditta Kicińska, Jacek Pawlak, Jacek Stienss","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2473","url":null,"abstract":"The Prokletije Mountains/Albanian Alps are the highest part of the Dinaric Mountains. Paradoxically, these mountains and their cave areas remain among the most enigmatic in Europe, having only recently become subjects of scientific research and cave exploration. This paper focuses on the Kolata and Greben massifs, where the highest, and thus the oldest, cave systems are located. Through the analysis of heavy mineral composition, the apatite-tourmaline index, and cluster analysis for mineralogical composition and uranium isotopic data, it becomes possible to identify the source areas for the cave clastic deposits. It also allow to distinguish multiple paleoflow directions, each corresponding to different stages of cave development. The older paleoflow was probably from south to north, whereas the younger one is inferred to have flown from east to west. The change in the paleodirection of sediment transportation was probably caused by Neogene tectonic movements. In the later period, because of the subsequent uplift of the Prokletije Mts. and their fragmentation into individual massifs, the transport to the caves was local and related to deglaciations. The deposition of the speleothem from the oldest caves of the Prokletije Mts. took place in the periods c. 381 and 308 ka (MIS 11 and MIS 9), which suggests that these levels had already passed from the phreatic to the vadose stage. Considering the morphology of the caves studied, we believe that these caves may have begun to form at least in the Middle Pleistocene. There are two generations of younger speleothems first at 163 ± 4 ka (MIS 6) and second from 92 ± 2 to 39.4 ± 2 ka (Weichselian age).","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47854156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2455
William Blitch, Adia R. Sovie, Benjamin Tobin
Cave entrances directly connect the surface and subsurface geomorphology in karst landscapes. Understanding the spatial distribution of these features can help identify areas on the landscape that are critical to flow in the karst groundwater system. Sinkholes and springs are major locations of inflow and outflow from the groundwater system, respectively, however not all sinkholes and springs are equally connected to the main conduit system. Predicting where on the landscape zones of high connectivity exist is a challenge because cave entrances are difficult to detect and imperfectly documented. Wildlife research has a similar issue of understanding the complexities of where a given species is likely to exist on a landscape given incomplete information and presence-only data. Species distribution models can address some of these issues to create accurate predictions of species or event occurrence across the landscape. Here we apply a species distribution model, MaxEnt, to predict cave entrance locations in three geomorphic regions of Kentucky. We built the models with cave locations from the Kentucky Speleological Survey database and landscape predictor variables, including distance from sinkholes, distance from springs, distance from faults, elevation, lithology, slope, and aspect. All three regional models predict cave locations well with the most important variables for predicting cave entrance locations consistent between models. Throughout all three models, sinkholes and springs had the largest influence on the likelihood of cave entrance presence. This unique use of species distribution modeling techniques shows that they are potentially valuable tools to understand spatial patterns of other landscape features that are either ephemeral or difficult to identify using standard techniques.
{"title":"Predictive modeling of cave entrance locations: relationships between surface and subsurface morphology","authors":"William Blitch, Adia R. Sovie, Benjamin Tobin","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2455","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2455","url":null,"abstract":"Cave entrances directly connect the surface and subsurface geomorphology in karst landscapes. Understanding the spatial distribution of these features can help identify areas on the landscape that are critical to flow in the karst groundwater system. Sinkholes and springs are major locations of inflow and outflow from the groundwater system, respectively, however not all sinkholes and springs are equally connected to the main conduit system. Predicting where on the landscape zones of high connectivity exist is a challenge because cave entrances are difficult to detect and imperfectly documented. Wildlife research has a similar issue of understanding the complexities of where a given species is likely to exist on a landscape given incomplete information and presence-only data. Species distribution models can address some of these issues to create accurate predictions of species or event occurrence across the landscape. Here we apply a species distribution model, MaxEnt, to predict cave entrance locations in three geomorphic regions of Kentucky. We built the models with cave locations from the Kentucky Speleological Survey database and landscape predictor variables, including distance from sinkholes, distance from springs, distance from faults, elevation, lithology, slope, and aspect. All three regional models predict cave locations well with the most important variables for predicting cave entrance locations consistent between models. Throughout all three models, sinkholes and springs had the largest influence on the likelihood of cave entrance presence. This unique use of species distribution modeling techniques shows that they are potentially valuable tools to understand spatial patterns of other landscape features that are either ephemeral or difficult to identify using standard techniques.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49101106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2442
D. Lacanette, L. Bassel, F. Salmon, J. Portais, B. Bousquet, R. Chapoulie, F. Ammari, P. Malaurent, Catherine Ferrier
Leye Cave (Dordogne, France) is a laboratory cave in the Vézère area, a region that contains some of the most famous rock art caves in the world such as Lascaux, Font-de-Gaume and Combarelles, and is listed as Human World Heritage by UNESCO. Leye Cave was selected because it is representative of painted caves, with respect to parameters such as its geological stage, the presence of water and carbon dioxide, the geological state of its walls, and the size of the cave. These wall states are studied to better understand the conditions of conservation of rock art caves without damaging them. The choice of an equivalent medium, i.e., a non-painted cave, was made to be able to conduct experiments or take measurements that would not have been possible in a rock art cave. The climatic conditions (temperature, hygrometry, etc.) monitored since 2011 are central to our understanding of the genesis and evolution of wall states. Leye Cave is sub-horizontal then descendant, forming a cold air trap. The phenomenon of condensation is thought to be important in the genesis of these wall states. Our article presents a model which describes the competition that exists between the conduction of the rock heating the air and the convection cooling the rock, in the area named the “Throne Chamber”, located in the deepest parts of the cave.
Leye洞穴(法国多尔多涅)是Vézère地区的一个实验室洞穴,该地区有一些世界上最著名的岩石艺术洞穴,如Lascaux、Font de Gaume和Combarelles,并被联合国教科文组织列为人类世界遗产。之所以选择乐业洞,是因为它在地质阶段、水和二氧化碳的存在、墙壁的地质状态以及洞穴的大小等参数方面具有绘画洞穴的代表性。研究这些岩壁状态是为了更好地了解岩石艺术洞穴的保护条件,而不破坏它们。选择等效介质,即非绘画洞穴,是为了能够进行岩石艺术洞穴中不可能进行的实验或测量。自2011年以来监测到的气候条件(温度、湿度等)是我们理解壁态起源和演化的核心。乐业洞是亚水平的然后后裔,形成了一个冷空气陷阱。凝结现象被认为是这些壁态发生的重要原因。我们的文章提出了一个模型,描述了在位于洞穴最深处的名为“王座室”的区域内,岩石加热空气的传导和冷却岩石的对流之间存在的竞争。
{"title":"Climate of a cave laboratory representative for rock art caves in the Vézère area (south-west France)","authors":"D. Lacanette, L. Bassel, F. Salmon, J. Portais, B. Bousquet, R. Chapoulie, F. Ammari, P. Malaurent, Catherine Ferrier","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2442","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.2.2442","url":null,"abstract":"Leye Cave (Dordogne, France) is a laboratory cave in the Vézère area, a region that contains some of the most famous rock art caves in the world such as Lascaux, Font-de-Gaume and Combarelles, and is listed as Human World Heritage by UNESCO. Leye Cave was selected because it is representative of painted caves, with respect to parameters such as its geological stage, the presence of water and carbon dioxide, the geological state of its walls, and the size of the cave. These wall states are studied to better understand the conditions of conservation of rock art caves without damaging them. The choice of an equivalent medium, i.e., a non-painted cave, was made to be able to conduct experiments or take measurements that would not have been possible in a rock art cave. The climatic conditions (temperature, hygrometry, etc.) monitored since 2011 are central to our understanding of the genesis and evolution of wall states. Leye Cave is sub-horizontal then descendant, forming a cold air trap. The phenomenon of condensation is thought to be important in the genesis of these wall states. Our article presents a model which describes the competition that exists between the conduction of the rock heating the air and the convection cooling the rock, in the area named the “Throne Chamber”, located in the deepest parts of the cave.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49075188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2469
Robert Lončarić, V. Radolić, M. Surić, I. Miklavčić, Matea Šatalić, D. Paar, Lukrecija Obšivač
Instigated by relatively high cave-air CO2 concentrations in Modrič Cave (Croatia) recorded for the purpose of speleothem-based paleoclimate research, we established preliminary monitoring of radon (222Rn) concentrations within the cave for a 4.5-year period (2018–2022). As radioactive geogenic gas, radon, which often correlates with cave-air CO2 concentrations, presents a potential health hazard in cases of longer exposure time in high concentration conditions. Since the Modrič Cave is open to tourists and long-term scientific research has been performed within, a safety assessment for radon concentrations was essential. The integrated measurements of radon concentrations were performed by passive LR115 detectors that were exposed from three to six months at eight sites within the cave. Preliminary results showed seasonal variations of radon concentrations (0.08–13.6 kBq/m3) governed by the cave ventilation patterns, but superimposed on this, cave morphology and bedrock architecture control the radon variations on finer spatial scale. The 3-months average 222Rn concentration of up to 13.6 kBq/m3 during summer in one of the cave passages is among the highest measured seasonal averaged radon concentrations in Croatian caves, but maximum concentrations were even higher. Based on obtained results and calculations, potential negative health effects of radon exposure for cave visitors, guides and scientists were assessed and the results showed values of exposure to be below recommended levels. Calculated worst-case scenario for cave guides (most affected by radon and its progeny) revealed that they would receive dose slightly below the occupational dose limit of 20 mSv/y (19.0 ± 5.2 mSv/y) in the touristic part of the cave and significantly higher doses (34.1 ± 9.2 mSv/y) in the non-touristic part of the cave. To detect precise spatio-temporal radon concentration variations (up to diurnal scale) we recently established continuous radon measurements. This will enable detection of possibly health threatening short-term peaks in radon concentration and consequently further improve cave management.
{"title":"Preliminary data of potentially hazardous radon concentrations in Modrič Cave (Croatia)","authors":"Robert Lončarić, V. Radolić, M. Surić, I. Miklavčić, Matea Šatalić, D. Paar, Lukrecija Obšivač","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2469","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2469","url":null,"abstract":"Instigated by relatively high cave-air CO2 concentrations in Modrič Cave (Croatia) recorded for the purpose of speleothem-based paleoclimate research, we established preliminary monitoring of radon (222Rn) concentrations within the cave for a 4.5-year period (2018–2022). As radioactive geogenic gas, radon, which often correlates with cave-air CO2 concentrations, presents a potential health hazard in cases of longer exposure time in high concentration conditions. Since the Modrič Cave is open to tourists and long-term scientific research has been performed within, a safety assessment for radon concentrations was essential. The integrated measurements of radon concentrations were performed by passive LR115 detectors that were exposed from three to six months at eight sites within the cave. Preliminary results showed seasonal variations of radon concentrations (0.08–13.6 kBq/m3) governed by the cave ventilation patterns, but superimposed on this, cave morphology and bedrock architecture control the radon variations on finer spatial scale. The 3-months average 222Rn concentration of up to 13.6 kBq/m3 during summer in one of the cave passages is among the highest measured seasonal averaged radon concentrations in Croatian caves, but maximum concentrations were even higher. Based on obtained results and calculations, potential negative health effects of radon exposure for cave visitors, guides and scientists were assessed and the results showed values of exposure to be below recommended levels. Calculated worst-case scenario for cave guides (most affected by radon and its progeny) revealed that they would receive dose slightly below the occupational dose limit of 20 mSv/y (19.0 ± 5.2 mSv/y) in the touristic part of the cave and significantly higher doses (34.1 ± 9.2 mSv/y) in the non-touristic part of the cave. To detect precise spatio-temporal radon concentration variations (up to diurnal scale) we recently established continuous radon measurements. This will enable detection of possibly health threatening short-term peaks in radon concentration and consequently further improve cave management.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47176321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2460
Miquel Pans, Laura Antón-González, M. Pellicer-Chenoll
Outdoor adventure activities are becoming more popular due to their potential health benefits, although there is little scientific information on speleology as a physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study is to expand the scientific evidence in this field in two ways: (a) describe the PA performed by speleologists, taking into account the variables of interest such as gender, age, education, speleological level, participation in ‘Alpine’ explorations and body mass index (BMI) and (b) identify how far the World Health Organization’s (WHO) PA recommendations were accomplished (i.e.,150 min of moderate-intensity aerobic PA or 75 min of vigorous-intensity aerobic). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 436 speleologists (305 men, 130 women). The participants completed an electronic survey on PA after which a descriptive analysis and cross-sectional pairwise comparisons (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests) were performed on the non-normal data. The mean metabolic equivalent (MET)-minutes/week was 4070.80 (±3078.80) for total PA, 1937.65 (±1992.39) for vigorous PA, 827.66 (±1049.81) for moderate PA and 1304.87 (±1031.65) for PA walking intensity. 73.4% of the participants met the PA recommendations. Nonparametric tests revealed differences by gender, age, educational level and speleological expertise. Women, the middle group age, doctorate and vocational training students, and beginners were less active than their counterparts. The findings provide important contributions towards the positioning and understanding of speleology as a sport and physical activity practice.
{"title":"The physical activity of Spanish speleologists: accomplishment of recommendations and differences by sociodemographic variables","authors":"Miquel Pans, Laura Antón-González, M. Pellicer-Chenoll","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2460","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2460","url":null,"abstract":"Outdoor adventure activities are becoming more popular due to their potential health benefits, although there is little scientific information on speleology as a physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study is to expand the scientific evidence in this field in two ways: (a) describe the PA performed by speleologists, taking into account the variables of interest such as gender, age, education, speleological level, participation in ‘Alpine’ explorations and body mass index (BMI) and (b) identify how far the World Health Organization’s (WHO) PA recommendations were accomplished (i.e.,150 min of moderate-intensity aerobic PA or 75 min of vigorous-intensity aerobic). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 436 speleologists (305 men, 130 women). The participants completed an electronic survey on PA after which a descriptive analysis and cross-sectional pairwise comparisons (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests) were performed on the non-normal data. The mean metabolic equivalent (MET)-minutes/week was 4070.80 (±3078.80) for total PA, 1937.65 (±1992.39) for vigorous PA, 827.66 (±1049.81) for moderate PA and 1304.87 (±1031.65) for PA walking intensity. 73.4% of the participants met the PA recommendations. Nonparametric tests revealed differences by gender, age, educational level and speleological expertise. Women, the middle group age, doctorate and vocational training students, and beginners were less active than their counterparts. The findings provide important contributions towards the positioning and understanding of speleology as a sport and physical activity practice.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44263313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}