karst landscape Flashcards
what is the karst landscape
it is an area of exposed limestone
what is a limestone pavement
it is an area of flat, exposed blocks of limestone which are seperated by joints
what is the burren prone to and why
carbonation
carbonic acid dissolves calcium carbonate itno calcium bicarbonate. Limestone is permeable so the carbonic acid moves through the joints forming a series of grikes. THe remianing limestone is divided into sections called clints
what are karrens and how are they formed
when water gets lodged ontop of the clints it dissolves the limestone below creating a small hollow on top
what is fluting
overtime water can flow ove rthe top of the clint from the karrents and they cut channels into the clint connecting the karren to the grike called fluting
what is a swallow hole
it is a narrow, funnel shaped hole into which a river flow and disapars. A river will then carve out an underground passage and a dry valley can form where a river is leftwithout water due to a swallow hole.
what is the point of resurgence
it is the point at which a river reappers from undeground
what is a turlough
it is a temporary lake that dissapers through a swallow during summer and reappers during winter
what is a cave
when a river disappers down undeground it carves out a large passage know as a cave
give an example of a cave in the burren
Aillwee cave
what is the zone of saturation
it is the rock and soil that is below the water table
where do caves form
they form below or at the zone of saturation
what happens to rainwater as it travels through soil
it collects more co2 so forms an even stronger carbonic acid so disoslves limestone and over tiem large areas underground are dissolved forming caverns
river can enlarge these
when a water table drops what happens to the caverns
they remain dry and can be used as a tourist attraction
caverns then form at the new lower level
what is dissolution
it occurs when water with dissolved calcium carbonate evaporates and leaves behind calcite
what are things that are formed as calcite builds up by dissolution over time
dripstone features
what are stalactites and how to they form
they form on the roofs of caves and caverns. As calcium carbonate is evaporated from water drops on the roof which then leaves drops of calcite. Over time calcite accumimaltes and forms icilce shaped features called stalactites
what are stalagmites and how to they form
they form on the floor of the cavern or cave. They grow upwards and develop as water drops land on the floor then evaporate leaving behind calcite. Calcite then accumilatates ove rth eyears and forms a stalagmite
why are stalagmites less shaped
they have a wider base than stalacities as water splashes when it forms and the claite is then spread over a larger area
how do pillars form in a cave/cavern
they form when a stalactite and stalagmite grow towards each other and eventually join together as they grow
how do curtains form in a cave/cavern
they form when water containing the dissolves clacium cabronate runs along a crack in the roof and forms calcite along the crack which eventuallt builds up
what happens in the youthful stage of kasrt landscape
The limestone is protected by layers of soil and impermeable rock. Rivers and glaciers gradually a roadway the soil rock rating river valleys and exposing the limestone on surface.
Carbonation erosion from the river is shaped the land landscape creating pavement and swallows
What happens in the mature stage of a karst landscape?
Rivers disappear, underground, creating caves and Caverns
Dripstone features and dry valleys are also found
What happens in the old stage of a karst landscape
The roofs and caves of the carvers collapse as the remaining limestone is currently completely weathered away. Only the more assistant drug is left behind and blocks of limestone rock known as homes remain. River is once again and flow along the surface of the landscape over the impermeable rock.
