Underground water, also known as groundwater, is water located beneath the earth's surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations.
Dissolution Process:
Carbonic Acid Formation: Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and soil, forming weak carbonic acid.
Limestone Dissolution: This acidic water percolates through the soil, dissolving soluble rocks like limestone, dolomite, and gypsum.
Formation of Karst Features:
Sinkholes (Dolines): Depressions formed by the collapse of underground caves or the dissolution of surface limestone.
Caves and Caverns: Created by the continuous dissolution of limestone, leading to the development of large underground voids.
Disappearing Streams: Surface streams that vanish into sinkholes, reappearing as springs or resuming flow underground.
Springs: Points where underground streams re-emerge at the surface.
Surface Features:
Limestone Pavements: Flat, exposed surfaces of limestone with deep fissures known as grikes, separated by blocks called clints.
Karren: Small-scale surface features such as grooves and ridges formed by dissolution on exposed limestone.
Subsurface Drainage:
Aquifers: Underground layers of water-bearing permeable rock or materials through which water can flow.
Karst Conduits: Natural underground channels formed by the dissolution process, facilitating the movement of groundwater.
Speleothems Formation:
Stalactites: Icicle-shaped formations hanging from the ceiling of caves, formed by the deposition of minerals from dripping water.
Stalagmites: Mound-shaped formations rising from the floor of caves, created by mineral deposits from water dripping from above.
Columns: Formed when stalactites and stalagmites meet.
Erosion and Deposition:
Chemical Erosion: Continuous dissolution enlarges caves and contributes to the overall karst landscape evolution.
Sediment Deposition: Materials transported by underground water can be deposited in cave systems, forming sediment layers.
These processes and features collectively define karst topography, characterized by its unique landscape shaped primarily by the action of underground water.
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