Speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite: Ochtiná Aragonite Cave, Slovakia
The Ochtiná Aragonite Cave (Western Carpathians) represents an unique natural phenomenon. It originated under particular lithological and hydrogeological conditions of the Ochtiná Karst in which several isolated lenses of Paleozoic crystalline limestone (marbles), partly metasomatically altered to a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of South Florida Libraries
2021-11-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Speleology |
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| Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ijs/vol51/iss1/2 |
| _version_ | 1818048940903235584 |
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| author | Pavel Bella Pavel Bosák Petr Pruner Helena Hercman Katarína Pukanská Karol Bartoš Ľudovít Gaál Dagmar Haviarová Peter Tomčík Šimon Kdýr |
| author_facet | Pavel Bella Pavel Bosák Petr Pruner Helena Hercman Katarína Pukanská Karol Bartoš Ľudovít Gaál Dagmar Haviarová Peter Tomčík Šimon Kdýr |
| author_sort | Pavel Bella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Ochtiná Aragonite Cave (Western Carpathians) represents an unique natural phenomenon. It originated under particular lithological and hydrogeological conditions of the Ochtiná Karst in which several isolated lenses of Paleozoic crystalline limestone (marbles), partly metasomatically altered to ankerite, are enclosed by phyllites. Meteoric water seepage through non-carbonate rocks dissolved limestone and caused the oxidation of ankerite to Fe oxyhydroxides. Carbon dioxide produced during ankerite oxidation enhanced limestone dissolution. The maze cave consists of parallel fault-controlled linear passages and chambers interconnected by transverse horizontal passages. Phreatic and epiphreatic solution morphologies resulted from slowly moving or standing water. These include flat ceilings (Laugdecken), facets (planes of repose, Facetten), lateral notches, convection ceiling cupola-shaped depressions, and spongework-like hollows. Flat ceilings were developed in several altitude positions, each of them probably closely below the slightly oscillated water table. Primary phreatic cupola-shaped depressions, truncated by flat ceilings, represent relics of the oldest cavities (pre-Quaternary? to Early Pleistocene). Inward-sloping smooth facets were not developed only in passages with flat ceilings, but also in the passages and halls with a vaulted ceiling. The asymmetrical shape of cusped depressions above the facets were documented in detail by a high-resolution cave topography with terrestrial laser scanning and digital photogrammetry. Middle–Late Pleistocene accumulation phases, identified by magnetostratigraphy of cave sediments and U-series dating of speleothems, are associated with phreatic and later epiphreatic development. The deposition on the bottom bedrock began before 1.8 Ma. The Brunhes/Matuyama boundary (0.773 Ma) and Jaramillo magnetozone (0.990–1.071 Ma) were recorded in the profile in the Oválna chodba Passage. Slow depositional rate (~0.09 cm/kyr) calculated from magnetostratigraphy resulted from slow water movement in confined conditions in marbles completely enclosed by phyllites and no direct relation to the surface. Only occasionally turbid water was loaded in extremely fine-grained infiltration material and autochthonous Fe oxyhydroxides. The depositional rate in Mn-rich layer was much slower (~0.03 cm/kyr). Additional U-series dating confirmed that old aragonite generations (with ages about 500–450 ka and 143–121 ka) were partly corroded by repeated floods during Late Pleistocene humid episodes. Aragonite younger than 13.5 ka is not corroded. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:29:40Z |
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| id | doaj.art-fdb7a470c4b9463091f6903b7270e4d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0392-6672 1827-806X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:29:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | University of South Florida Libraries |
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| series | International Journal of Speleology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fdb7a470c4b9463091f6903b7270e4d62022-12-22T01:52:38ZengUniversity of South Florida LibrariesInternational Journal of Speleology0392-66721827-806X2021-11-015111328https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.51.1.2397Speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite: Ochtiná Aragonite Cave, SlovakiaPavel Bella0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4875-1893Pavel Bosák1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1117-3965Petr Pruner2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7222-1561Helena Hercman3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3851-431XKatarína Pukanská4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7332-7691Karol Bartoš5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4870-5494Ľudovít Gaál6Dagmar Haviarová7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7398-3819Peter Tomčík8https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1342-8244Šimon Kdýr9https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2759-899XSlovak Caves Administration, Liptovský Mikuláš, SlovakiaInstitute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha, CzechiaInstitute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha, CzechiaInstitute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, PolandInstitute of Geodesy, Cartography and GIS, Technical University of Košice, Košice, SlovakiaInstitute of Geodesy, Cartography and GIS, Technical University of Košice, Košice, SlovakiaSlovak Caves Administration, Liptovský Mikuláš, SlovakiaSlovak Caves Administration, Liptovský Mikuláš, SlovakiaDepartment of Chemistry and Physics, Faculty of Education, Catholic University in Ružomberok, Ružomberok, SlovakiaInstitute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha, CzechiaThe Ochtiná Aragonite Cave (Western Carpathians) represents an unique natural phenomenon. It originated under particular lithological and hydrogeological conditions of the Ochtiná Karst in which several isolated lenses of Paleozoic crystalline limestone (marbles), partly metasomatically altered to ankerite, are enclosed by phyllites. Meteoric water seepage through non-carbonate rocks dissolved limestone and caused the oxidation of ankerite to Fe oxyhydroxides. Carbon dioxide produced during ankerite oxidation enhanced limestone dissolution. The maze cave consists of parallel fault-controlled linear passages and chambers interconnected by transverse horizontal passages. Phreatic and epiphreatic solution morphologies resulted from slowly moving or standing water. These include flat ceilings (Laugdecken), facets (planes of repose, Facetten), lateral notches, convection ceiling cupola-shaped depressions, and spongework-like hollows. Flat ceilings were developed in several altitude positions, each of them probably closely below the slightly oscillated water table. Primary phreatic cupola-shaped depressions, truncated by flat ceilings, represent relics of the oldest cavities (pre-Quaternary? to Early Pleistocene). Inward-sloping smooth facets were not developed only in passages with flat ceilings, but also in the passages and halls with a vaulted ceiling. The asymmetrical shape of cusped depressions above the facets were documented in detail by a high-resolution cave topography with terrestrial laser scanning and digital photogrammetry. Middle–Late Pleistocene accumulation phases, identified by magnetostratigraphy of cave sediments and U-series dating of speleothems, are associated with phreatic and later epiphreatic development. The deposition on the bottom bedrock began before 1.8 Ma. The Brunhes/Matuyama boundary (0.773 Ma) and Jaramillo magnetozone (0.990–1.071 Ma) were recorded in the profile in the Oválna chodba Passage. Slow depositional rate (~0.09 cm/kyr) calculated from magnetostratigraphy resulted from slow water movement in confined conditions in marbles completely enclosed by phyllites and no direct relation to the surface. Only occasionally turbid water was loaded in extremely fine-grained infiltration material and autochthonous Fe oxyhydroxides. The depositional rate in Mn-rich layer was much slower (~0.03 cm/kyr). Additional U-series dating confirmed that old aragonite generations (with ages about 500–450 ka and 143–121 ka) were partly corroded by repeated floods during Late Pleistocene humid episodes. Aragonite younger than 13.5 ka is not corroded.https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ijs/vol51/iss1/2cave morphologyterrestrial laser scanningflat ceilingfacetsmagnetostratigraphyth/u datingankeritewater chemistrymulti-phased speleogenesis. |
| spellingShingle | Pavel Bella Pavel Bosák Petr Pruner Helena Hercman Katarína Pukanská Karol Bartoš Ľudovít Gaál Dagmar Haviarová Peter Tomčík Šimon Kdýr Speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite: Ochtiná Aragonite Cave, Slovakia International Journal of Speleology cave morphology terrestrial laser scanning flat ceiling facets magnetostratigraphy th/u dating ankerite water chemistry multi-phased speleogenesis. |
| title | Speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite: Ochtiná Aragonite Cave, Slovakia |
| title_full | Speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite: Ochtiná Aragonite Cave, Slovakia |
| title_fullStr | Speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite: Ochtiná Aragonite Cave, Slovakia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite: Ochtiná Aragonite Cave, Slovakia |
| title_short | Speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite: Ochtiná Aragonite Cave, Slovakia |
| title_sort | speleogenesis in a lens of metamorphosed limestone and ankerite ochtina aragonite cave slovakia |
| topic | cave morphology terrestrial laser scanning flat ceiling facets magnetostratigraphy th/u dating ankerite water chemistry multi-phased speleogenesis. |
| url | https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ijs/vol51/iss1/2 |
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