Yunnan is famous for its attractive karst landscapes especially shilins, fengcong and fenglin. The development of caves beneath the shilins in the vicinity of Lunan is closely connected with the formation of shilins. ...Yunnan is famous for its attractive karst landscapes especially shilins, fengcong and fenglin. The development of caves beneath the shilins in the vicinity of Lunan is closely connected with the formation of shilins. Most of the waters percolating through shilins run through the caves beneath them and are responsible for their formation. The study of cave speleogenesis deepens knowledge about both the development of shilins and karst structure. In the vicinity of the Lunan Shilin, speleological, morphological and structural geological studies of four karst caves have been accomplished. At Puzhehei, Qiubei, which is characterised by numerous fenglin, fengcong and caves, speleological and morphological studies have been performed. Cave sediments for paleomagnetic analyses have been taken from all studied areas (samples CH 1-9). Karst caves in SE Yunnan are probably much older than the age of the cave sediments (<780,000 years B.P.). The studied areas are located in the vicinity of the Xiaojiang fault (N-S direction I and the Red River fault (NW-SE direction). The general directions of both active faults are assumed to influence the direction of the most frequent fissures as well as the cave passages near the Lunan Shilin. The Xiaojiang fault more strongly influences cave passage orientation, while the more distant Red River fault most strongly influences fissure orientation.展开更多
Understanding the ongoing speleogenic processes that produce sinkholes and control the vital drinking water supplies of Florida and much else of the world is necessary research. This article （and the associated poste...Understanding the ongoing speleogenic processes that produce sinkholes and control the vital drinking water supplies of Florida and much else of the world is necessary research. This article （and the associated poster presentation） discusses theoretical processes that may act in addition to mass dissolution kinetics in producing voids, conduits and caves in autogenic karst landforms. Possible theoretical factors that affect these speleogenic processes are： microscopic mixing corrosion （low constant flow, low constant flow against current, temperature-induced mixing corrosion, and pressure-induced mixing corrosion in karst matrix）, random dissolution models, simulation of gravity-induced microscopic breakdown, and storm surge effects. Finally, a theoretical model is discussed that unifies these various microscopic processes into a macro-scale process, called internal pressure sculpting. Computer models were designed to illustrate these theoretical processes： Non-calibrated computer models simulating each process discussed in this paper are presented for illustration, as well as the preliminary results of calibrated models depicting random dissolution, mechanical breakdown, and storm surge effects. The theoretical processes discussed and simulated may have major effects on cave morphology. Computer simulations appear to accurately portray the shape and form of some cave features with dissolutional morphologies. Theoretical discussion concludes with a general discussion of possible improvements to the presented models as well as the ability to generalize theoretical processes to hypogenic, halogenic, and autogenic speleogenesis.展开更多
In Southwestern China,the development of karst landforms and planation surfaces is closely related to local tectonics,fluvial incision,and base level changes,and climate changes.However,researches on when these karst ...In Southwestern China,the development of karst landforms and planation surfaces is closely related to local tectonics,fluvial incision,and base level changes,and climate changes.However,researches on when these karst landforms and planation surfaces formed and how they evolved along drainage development are scarce.Fortunately,horizontal caves with numerous fluvial deposits in high karst mountains can be served as time markers in landform evolution.Here we select large horizontal caves to perform studies of geomorphology,sedimentology,and geochronology.Fieldwork revealed that more than 25 km long horizontal cave passages are perched 1500 m higher than the local base level,but filled with several phases of fluvial sediments and breakdown slabs.The first phase of fluvial gravels and related cave drainage was dated back to 6.4 Ma using cosmogenic nuclide burial dating,and the stalagmite covering the cave collapse was dated by the U-Pb method to be older than 1.56 Ma.These results show that the continuous horizontal cave drainage system and the planation surface were developed before the Late Miocene.The lowering process of the base level as a result of the sharp fluvial incision and water level lowering,along with the regional uplift,led to the abandonment of the horizontal cave and the elevated planation surface at the Late Miocene.After that,the phase of cave collapse,thick fluvial sand,and clay sediments in the recharge of cave areas were deposited at around 1.6 Ma and during the Middle Pleistocene,respectively.Subsequently,speleothems were widely deposited on the collapse and clay sediments during the period from 600 to 90 ka,whereas the deposition of cave fluvial sediments terminated suddenly.The tectonic could control the denudation of surface caprocks and the development of karst conduits before the Late Miocene,whereas the river incision acted as the main driver for the base level lowering and the destruction of the horizontal cave drainage at high altitudes.In addition,the rapid incision and retreat of Silurian gorges finally caused the formation of karst mesas in the Middle Pleistocene.展开更多
The Baiyun cave is a 380 m long karst cave in the Naigu Shilin, situated 70 km southeast of Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The prevailing orientations of the cave passages are N110°–120°E and N0°-10&...The Baiyun cave is a 380 m long karst cave in the Naigu Shilin, situated 70 km southeast of Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The prevailing orientations of the cave passages are N110°–120°E and N0°-10°W and those of the fissures in the cave are N30°–40°W and N20°–30°W. The cave is developed in the thick-bedded Lower Permian Qixia Formation. The cave has an active water flow and is currently at the near water-table stage. There are large amounts of different infills of cave sediments. The cave shows different stages of paragenesis. The palaeomagnetic analysis of cave sediments shows that their ages are younger than 780 ka B.P. (the Brunhes Chron). The upper part of the sampled profile belongs to the reverse Blake event (112.3–117.9 ka B.P.). The formation of the Baiyun cave is directly connected with the development of the Naigu Shilin. The formation of karst underground and surface features depends on the regional tectonic deformation and the Cenozoic extension of the study area.展开更多
Cave levels, passages found at similar elevations and formed during the same constant stream base level event, reveal information about paleoclimates and karst geomorphology. The investigation presented here examines ...Cave levels, passages found at similar elevations and formed during the same constant stream base level event, reveal information about paleoclimates and karst geomorphology. The investigation presented here examines how Stream Power Index (SPI) relates to cave levels. The study area, Carter Caves State Resort Park (CCSRP), is a fluviokarst system in northeastern Kentucky containing multiple cave levels. SPI determines the erosive power overland flow based on the assumption that flow accumulation and slope are proportional to potential for sediment entrainment. Part of this digital terrain analysis requires the creation of a flow accumulation raster from a digital elevation model (DEM). In creating the flow accumulation raster, one has the option to fill depressions (also considered errors) within the DEM. Filling these depressions, or “sinks,” creates a well-connected stream network;however it also removes possible sinkholes from the DEM. This paper also investigates the effects a filled and an unfilled DEM have on SPI and what each reveals about erosion potential in the area. The data shows that low elevations within the filled DEM maintain a high SPI value when compared to the unfilled DEM. The filled DEM also created a stream network similar to reality. The unfilled DEM demonstrated similar SPI results between all levels, indicating a well-connected karst system. In order to truly understand the mechanics of this system, a combination of these two DEMs is required.展开更多
文摘Yunnan is famous for its attractive karst landscapes especially shilins, fengcong and fenglin. The development of caves beneath the shilins in the vicinity of Lunan is closely connected with the formation of shilins. Most of the waters percolating through shilins run through the caves beneath them and are responsible for their formation. The study of cave speleogenesis deepens knowledge about both the development of shilins and karst structure. In the vicinity of the Lunan Shilin, speleological, morphological and structural geological studies of four karst caves have been accomplished. At Puzhehei, Qiubei, which is characterised by numerous fenglin, fengcong and caves, speleological and morphological studies have been performed. Cave sediments for paleomagnetic analyses have been taken from all studied areas (samples CH 1-9). Karst caves in SE Yunnan are probably much older than the age of the cave sediments (<780,000 years B.P.). The studied areas are located in the vicinity of the Xiaojiang fault (N-S direction I and the Red River fault (NW-SE direction). The general directions of both active faults are assumed to influence the direction of the most frequent fissures as well as the cave passages near the Lunan Shilin. The Xiaojiang fault more strongly influences cave passage orientation, while the more distant Red River fault most strongly influences fissure orientation.
文摘Understanding the ongoing speleogenic processes that produce sinkholes and control the vital drinking water supplies of Florida and much else of the world is necessary research. This article （and the associated poster presentation） discusses theoretical processes that may act in addition to mass dissolution kinetics in producing voids, conduits and caves in autogenic karst landforms. Possible theoretical factors that affect these speleogenic processes are： microscopic mixing corrosion （low constant flow, low constant flow against current, temperature-induced mixing corrosion, and pressure-induced mixing corrosion in karst matrix）, random dissolution models, simulation of gravity-induced microscopic breakdown, and storm surge effects. Finally, a theoretical model is discussed that unifies these various microscopic processes into a macro-scale process, called internal pressure sculpting. Computer models were designed to illustrate these theoretical processes： Non-calibrated computer models simulating each process discussed in this paper are presented for illustration, as well as the preliminary results of calibrated models depicting random dissolution, mechanical breakdown, and storm surge effects. The theoretical processes discussed and simulated may have major effects on cave morphology. Computer simulations appear to accurately portray the shape and form of some cave features with dissolutional morphologies. Theoretical discussion concludes with a general discussion of possible improvements to the presented models as well as the ability to generalize theoretical processes to hypogenic, halogenic, and autogenic speleogenesis.
基金supported by the foundation of the Institute of Karst Geology,Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences(Nos.201317,2014005,2014034,2016011)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41270226)。
文摘In Southwestern China,the development of karst landforms and planation surfaces is closely related to local tectonics,fluvial incision,and base level changes,and climate changes.However,researches on when these karst landforms and planation surfaces formed and how they evolved along drainage development are scarce.Fortunately,horizontal caves with numerous fluvial deposits in high karst mountains can be served as time markers in landform evolution.Here we select large horizontal caves to perform studies of geomorphology,sedimentology,and geochronology.Fieldwork revealed that more than 25 km long horizontal cave passages are perched 1500 m higher than the local base level,but filled with several phases of fluvial sediments and breakdown slabs.The first phase of fluvial gravels and related cave drainage was dated back to 6.4 Ma using cosmogenic nuclide burial dating,and the stalagmite covering the cave collapse was dated by the U-Pb method to be older than 1.56 Ma.These results show that the continuous horizontal cave drainage system and the planation surface were developed before the Late Miocene.The lowering process of the base level as a result of the sharp fluvial incision and water level lowering,along with the regional uplift,led to the abandonment of the horizontal cave and the elevated planation surface at the Late Miocene.After that,the phase of cave collapse,thick fluvial sand,and clay sediments in the recharge of cave areas were deposited at around 1.6 Ma and during the Middle Pleistocene,respectively.Subsequently,speleothems were widely deposited on the collapse and clay sediments during the period from 600 to 90 ka,whereas the deposition of cave fluvial sediments terminated suddenly.The tectonic could control the denudation of surface caprocks and the development of karst conduits before the Late Miocene,whereas the river incision acted as the main driver for the base level lowering and the destruction of the horizontal cave drainage at high altitudes.In addition,the rapid incision and retreat of Silurian gorges finally caused the formation of karst mesas in the Middle Pleistocene.
文摘The Baiyun cave is a 380 m long karst cave in the Naigu Shilin, situated 70 km southeast of Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The prevailing orientations of the cave passages are N110°–120°E and N0°-10°W and those of the fissures in the cave are N30°–40°W and N20°–30°W. The cave is developed in the thick-bedded Lower Permian Qixia Formation. The cave has an active water flow and is currently at the near water-table stage. There are large amounts of different infills of cave sediments. The cave shows different stages of paragenesis. The palaeomagnetic analysis of cave sediments shows that their ages are younger than 780 ka B.P. (the Brunhes Chron). The upper part of the sampled profile belongs to the reverse Blake event (112.3–117.9 ka B.P.). The formation of the Baiyun cave is directly connected with the development of the Naigu Shilin. The formation of karst underground and surface features depends on the regional tectonic deformation and the Cenozoic extension of the study area.
文摘Cave levels, passages found at similar elevations and formed during the same constant stream base level event, reveal information about paleoclimates and karst geomorphology. The investigation presented here examines how Stream Power Index (SPI) relates to cave levels. The study area, Carter Caves State Resort Park (CCSRP), is a fluviokarst system in northeastern Kentucky containing multiple cave levels. SPI determines the erosive power overland flow based on the assumption that flow accumulation and slope are proportional to potential for sediment entrainment. Part of this digital terrain analysis requires the creation of a flow accumulation raster from a digital elevation model (DEM). In creating the flow accumulation raster, one has the option to fill depressions (also considered errors) within the DEM. Filling these depressions, or “sinks,” creates a well-connected stream network;however it also removes possible sinkholes from the DEM. This paper also investigates the effects a filled and an unfilled DEM have on SPI and what each reveals about erosion potential in the area. The data shows that low elevations within the filled DEM maintain a high SPI value when compared to the unfilled DEM. The filled DEM also created a stream network similar to reality. The unfilled DEM demonstrated similar SPI results between all levels, indicating a well-connected karst system. In order to truly understand the mechanics of this system, a combination of these two DEMs is required.
