Stalagmites from western Thailand: preliminary investigations and challenges for palaeoenvironmental research

Locating suitable caves and stalagmites for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic studies can be challenging. Isotopic geochemical analyses, albeit commonly performed for palaeoclimatic reconstruction, are also time consuming and costly. Therefore, petrographic and non‐destructive morphological studies on speleothems are desirable to facilitate sample selection for further analysis. In this study, 20 caves were surveyed in Ban Rai district, Uthai Thani province in western Thailand. After external physical observations in the field, three stalagmite samples were collected from Tham Nam Cave to test their potential for palaeoclimatic research. Firstly, the stalagmites were scanned by X‐ray computed tomography (CT scanning) and subsequently the CT images were compared with petrographic inspections. Columnar fabrics show the highest density, whereas closed and open dendritic fabrics have medium and the lowest densities, respectively. Layers near the top and bottom of the three stalagmites were dated by U‐Th mass spectrometric techniques. All three samples were deposited between c. 87 and c. 105 ka ago; therefore, they are probably the oldest stalagmites that have been reported so far from mainland Southeast Asia. However, their physical features indicate that all the samples have suffered from postdepositional dissolution, and are unlikely to be suitable for palaeoclimatic research. The internal dissolution feature of stalagmites, however, cannot be identified by visual inspection of uncut samples. We hereby argue that CT images are useful to characterize stalagmite petrography, in particular fabric, porosity and density. Such features can be used to select the ideal plane of a stalagmite for sectioning, to maximize the chances of robust climatic reconstruction.     

Hyperspectral imaging of speleothems

Proxy records from speleothems are used in palaeoclimatic reconstructions, as the factors controlling their growth rate, nature of their internal structure and chemical composition respond to changes in surface climate. Optical analyses of stalagmites include visual observation of stalagmite images obtained from flatbed scanners or digital cameras. Hyperspectral imaging has not been used in stalagmite research, but potentially has many advantages over standard optical imaging techniques. Hyperspectral images of a set of stalagmites have been obtained in order to demonstrate the application of hyperspectral imaging in speleothem research. Our results highlight the following: (1) Spectra obtained for these calcite stalagmites are similar between a group of stalagmites of different ages, hydrological setting within a cave and from different caves. (2) The largest differences in relative reflectance between areas of dark compact calcite (DCC) and white porous calcite (WPC) are in the range 470–590 nm (this may extend to 680 nm for some of the stalagmites). (3) Imaging in the near infrared (NIR) demonstrates a decrease in reflection at water absorbance wavelengths, suggesting there is potential for mapping H₂O.     

文石石笋发生矿物重结晶的影响因素及其古气候意义

洞穴沉积物—石笋已成为研究岩溶区环境气候变化历史的重要载体。在我国湘西地区,某些洞穴石笋原始沉积多为不稳定的文石矿物,极易发生重结晶,可能使石笋中相关化学元素含量最终偏离原生矿物的特征,限制了文石石笋某些代用指标在古气候研究中的应用。文章以前人研究成果为基础,总结梳理了文石石笋发生重结晶的影响因素及其对石笋记录古气候的影响：（1）石笋剖面特征、XRD结果、显微镜观察和地球化学元素特征等可作为石笋发生重结晶的判别依据;（2）洞穴滴水和石笋孔隙水饱和度、文石晶体缺陷和晶体之间的方解石胶结物以及岩溶水体中Mg²⁺浓度等均会影响文石石笋的矿物转变;（3）在文石向方解石转变过程中,石笋铀含量会有一定程度的流失,可导致放射性铀系定年的异常或年代倒序;（4）矿物重结晶可导致δ¹⁸O、δ¹³C及石笋微量元素浓度（或比值）等指标发生改变,其变化特征因洞穴而异,从而影响其作为环境指示器的可靠性;（5）湖南龙山惹迷洞石笋（RM2）发生了不均一的矿物重结晶,自顶部至20.3 cm以放射状为主,20.3 cm至底部主要为糖粒状,并结合年代结果发现文石重结晶对石笋铀系定年产生了影响,而重结晶作用对该石笋其他指标的影响还有待进一步研究。     

Speleothems in gypsum caves and their paleoclimatological significance

This article highlights the relationship between speleothems growing inside gypsum caves and the particular climate that existed during their development. Speleothems in gypsum caves normally consist of calcium carbonate (calcite) or calcium sulphate (gypsum) and the abundance of such deposits greatly differs from zone to zone. Observations carried out over the last 20 years in gypsum caves subjected to very different climates (Italy, Spain, New Mexico, northern Russia, Cuba, Argentina) highlight wide variation in their cave deposits. In arid or semi-arid climates, the speleothems are mainly composed of gypsum, whilst in temperate, humid or tropical regions, carbonate formations are largely predominant. In polar zones no speleothems develop. These mineralogical details could be useful paleoclimatic indicators of climate change. The interpretation proposed is based on the fact that in gypsum karst the kind of speleothems deposited is determined by competition between the two principal mechanisms that cause precipitation of calcite and gypsum. These mechanisms are completely different: calcite speleothem evolution is mainly controlled by CO₂ diffusion, while gypsum deposits develop mostly due to evaporation. Therefore, the prevalence of one kind of speleothem over the other, and the relationship between the solution–precipitation processes of calcite and gypsum, may provide evidence of a specific paleoclimate. Additionally, other non-common deposits in gypsum caves like moonmilk, cave rafts and dolomite speleothems can be used as markers for the prevalence of long, dry periods in humid areas, seasonal changes in climate, or rainfall trends in some gypsum areas. Moreover, the dating of gypsum speleothems could contribute paleoclimatic data relating to dry periods when calcite speleothems are not deposited. In contrast, the dating of calcite speleothems in gypsum caves could identify former wet periods in arid zones.     

Vulnerability,pressures, and protection of karst caves and their speleothems in Ha Long Bay,Vietnam

This paper presents the results of morphological and microclimatic surveys and speleothem analyses of ten karst caves located in different isles in Ha Long Bay, a famous tourist attraction in Vietnam. Characteristically, the caves have enormous entrances, roomy interiors, but short length, typical of karst caves in tropical climates. The cave microclimate was found to be significantly dependent on the outside atmosphere and human activities. There was a clear spatial variation in macro features and fabrics of speleothems from entrance (porous, microcrystalline) to rear (solid, macrocrystalline) of the caves. Microstructure analysis with the use of an environmental scanning electron microscope shows a gradual decrease of biological activity and microclimate instability from outside to the innermost parts of the caves are the causes for this spatial variation. Past and present deterioration of caves and speleothems directly due to tourist activities and vandalism has been observed. On the other hand, there are signs of speleothem regrowth in the caves where tourism has been stopped. This study has proved that caves and their speleothems in Ha Long Bay are highly dynamic and understanding of their environment requires immediate methodological attention. Based on the analytical results, it is recommended that regulation of visitor frequency and removal of lamp-flora are necessary for sustainable development of the show caves and their speleothems.     

川东北石笋记录的38～39 ka B.P.活动事件

通过川东北诺水河溶洞群石笋的年代学分析,发现多支时代跨越35～ 40kaB. P.的石笋记录了发生时间在38～ 39 kaB. P.的事件: 有的石笋发育中断,有的石笋生长轴心发生了变化,有的石笋则刚刚开始发育。初步的证据显示该事件不是气候成因所为,也不像由于洞穴局部塌陷引起。考虑到秦岭山地是新构造活动十分发育的地区,为此我们推测该事件很可能与某一次构造活动有关,也可能是由一次大规模重力地貌过程(如滑坡)造成。因此,洞穴沉积物(包括石笋、石钟乳和流石等)可望为川东北地区的新构造活动尤其是地震事件研究提供一种新的依据。      

Cavity‐filling dolomite speleothems and submarine cements in the Ediacaran Dengying microbialites,South China: Responses to high‐frequency sea‐level fluctuations in an ‘aragonite–dolomite sea’

Speleothems, mostly composed of calcium carbonate, are widely present in modern karst‐originated caves, but have rarely been reported in palaeokarst systems. This study presents a novel type of dolomite speleothem and subsequent submarine dolomite cement, which are widely present in the upper Ediacaran Dengying Formation in the upper Yangtze area. These precipitated materials occur in the cavity system that cuts across several peritidal cycles. The interconnected cavity networks with irregular shapes, embayed walls, internal breccias on cavity floor and their preferential development in the shallower cycle tops (for example, tepee‐deformed beds) suggest that they were initially generated by subaerial dissolution. As the earliest infills, the hemispherical protrusions, icicle‐like pendants and ground‐up columns show similar morphological features and occurrence patterns to the cave popcorn, stalactites and stalagmites, respectively. Thus, these earliest infills are speleothems resulting from associated meteoric precipitation during subaerial exposure. The isopachous growth pattern of subsequent more extensive fibrous dolomite cements points to a submarine diagenetic environment in which they were precipitated. Microscopically, the micritic to micro‐crystalline dolomite, acicular dolomite in speleothems and the subsequent fibrous dolomite share similar crystal fabrics to metastable precursors (for example, Mg‐calcite). Meanwhile, the carbon‐oxygen isotope compositions of the speleothem and fibrous dolomite, although partly altered by burial diagenesis, share a large overlap with host rock and coeval marine carbonates all over the Yangtze Platform. For these reasons, these speleothems and fibrous cements are considered to have been initially precipitated as metastable carbonate precursors in meteoric and submarine environments, respectively, and stabilized during submarine mimetic dolomitization. The cyclic occurrence of cavity systems filled with speleothems and submarine cements reflects periodic subaerial exposure and marine flooding of broad tidal flat in the upper Yangtze area, driven by high‐frequency sea‐level fluctuations. Furthermore, the Neoproterozoic seawater chemistry that favoured early dolomitization of carbonate precursor mineralogies was an advantage for the preservation of fabrics from metastable precursor minerals.     

Collapse of caves at shallow depth in Gaziantep city center,Turkey: a case study

This paper focuses on an investigation of the possible causes for the collapse of limestone caves in Gaziantep, Turkey. The city contains a lot of man-made caves, at a shallow depth, of various width and length. These caves were mainly excavated to provide work or storage space. As the city has been growing fast with increased population, many structures were constructed over these caves. Recently, two caves collapsed and five houses were damaged. These caves are all made of limestone and it was observed after the collapse that the limestone was saturated with water due to sewer pipe leakage and surface water. Tests were carried out on the limestone and it was determined that the compressive strength of limestone decreases by about 50% and the tensile strength decreased by about 80% when saturated with water. It was concluded that the reduced strength of the limestone combined with additional loads due to the factors mentioned above seem to be the main reason for these collapses.     

广西巴马县水晶宫洞穴沉积物特征及其沉积环境

巴马县水晶宫洞内次生化学沉积物景观丰富,类型多样,有石钟乳、石幔、石瀑布、石笋、石柱、石盾等特色景观;尤其是近期仍在发育的洞顶鹅管、卷曲石、石花等是国内外较为罕见的洞穴奇景。据沉积物的沉积类型、物质成分、沉积序次及测年等资料研究表明,水晶宫洞穴沉积物形成于晚第三纪以来。晚第三纪和第四纪早更新世早期,洞内沉积主要为外源水携带的硅质岩、砂岩类砾石沉积形成的钙华砾石层。早更新世中期—中更新世气候温暖湿润,是水晶宫洞穴主要景观的形成期,沉积物景观宏大而壮观,230Th-U系测年得出其分别形成于100～35万年前。晚更新世早期12.5～9万年的末次间冰期主要为温暖气候环境,洞内仅有少量的石笋沉积,且极少保存;9万年后气候环境发生突变,更不利沉积物发育和保存;自4万年后气候环境开始表现为温暖湿润,化学沉积活跃,洞穴沉积物主要由高约50～150 cm的纯白色石笋群和钟乳石组成,为洞穴奇景的形成期,230Th-U系测年得出其分别形成于40 ka BP和7 500 a BP以及1 450 a BP。晚更新世晚期以来形成的洞穴沉积物景观,不仅为水晶宫提供了丰富的旅游资源和价值,同时也为广西重建古气候环境提供了重要的信息载体。      

Oxygen and carbon isotopic systematics of aragonite speleothems and water in Furong Cave, Chongqing, China

To understand oxygen and carbon stable isotopic characteristics of aragonite stalagmites and evaluate their applicability to paleoclimate, the isotopic compositions of active and fossil aragonite speleothems and water samples from an in situ multi-year (October 2005-July 2010) monitoring program in Furong Cave located in Chongqing of China have been examined. The observations during October 2005-June 2007 show that the meteoric water is well mixed in the overlying 300-500-m bedrock aquifer, reflected by relatively constant δ¹⁸O, ±0.11-0.14‰ (1σ), of drip waters in the cave, which represents the annual status of rainfall water. Active cave aragonite speleothems are at oxygen isotopic equilibrium with drip water and their δ¹⁸O values capture the surface-water oxygen isotopic signal. Aragonite-to-calcite transformation since the last glaciation is not noticeable in Furong stalagmites. Our multi-year field experiment approves that aragonite stalagmite δ¹⁸O records in this cave are suitable for paleoclimate reconstruction. With high U, 0.5-7.2 ppm, and low Th, 20-1270 ppt, the Furong aragonite stalagmites provide very precise chronology (as good as ±20s yrs (2σ)) of the climatic variations since the last deglaciation. The synchroneity of Chinese stalagmite δ¹⁸O records at the transition into the Bølling-Allerød (t-BA) and the Younger Dryas from Furong, Hulu and Dongge Caves supports the fidelity of the reconstructed East Asian monsoon evolution. However, the Furong record shows that the cold Older Dryas (OD) occurred at 14.0 thousand years ago, agreeing with Greenland ice core δ¹⁸O records but ∼200 yrs younger than that in the Hulu record. The OD age discrepancy between Chinese caves can be attributable to different regionally climatic/environmental conditions or chronological uncertainty of stalagmite proxy records, which is limited by changes in growth rate and subsampling intervals in absolute dating. Seasonal dissolved inorganic carbon δ¹³C variations of 2-3‰ in the drip water and 5-7‰ in the pool and spring waters are likely attributed to variable degrees of CO₂ degassing in winter and summer. The variable δ¹³C values of active deposits from −11‰ to 0‰ could be caused by kinetically mediated CO₂ degassing processes. The complicated nature of pre-deposition kinetic isotopic fractionation processes for carbon isotopes in speleothems at Furong Cave require further study before they can be interpreted in a paleoclimatic or paleoenvironmental context.     

Chemical kinetics, speleothem growth and climate

The morphology and stratigraphy of speleothems are controlled by parameters that depend on climate. These are the water supply rates feeding the speleothem, e.g. a stalagmite, the growth rates dependent on the chemical kinetics of calcite precipitation and the supersaturation of the solution from which calcite is precipitated. To elucidate the basic principles of speleothem growth, a physical-chemical model of calcite precipitation is used to estimate growth rates under various geologically relevant conditions. Furthermore, we present a model that allows the computation of the growth history of stalagmites, i.e. their morphology and stratigraphy under varying climatic conditions. This enables us to see how climatic signals are inscribed into stalagmites. Owing to the counter-balancing effects of some parameters, it is not possible to read climatic conditions backwards from the morphology and stratigraphy of a speleothem in a simple way, but a basic understanding of the growth of speleothems can be a helpful supporting tool in the interpretation of palaeoclimatic records.     

ASTER mapping of limestone formations and study of caves, springs and depressions in parts of Sultanate of Oman

Caves, springs, and large depressions of limestone karst formations are becoming more attractive tourist places and have potential importance on socio-economic development. The present study is a multi-scale point of view on limestone karst, from the space images to microscopic fabric. Here, the karst features consist of limestone formations of Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian) age of Tanuf Valley and Tertiary (Late Paleocene–Middle Eocene) age of Sur region of parts of Sultanate of Oman which are mapped in the visible near-infrared and shortwave infrared spectral bands of advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) using decorrelated stretch image processing technique and the occurrences of caves, springs, and depressions of the formations in the field were studied. The decorrelated RGB images of ASTER spectral bands 8, 3, and 1 discriminated well the limestone formations and associated lithology. The limestone formations of Tanuf valley (Natih formations of Hajar unit) are thick-bedded, massive, shallow marine limestone and clayey limestone, which have caves and springs. Large depressions are studied as collapsed structures at the boundary between Abat formations; they consist of gray to white marly or micritic limestone with chert nodules and Seeb Formation of bioclastic limestone, calcarenite, marl, and sandstone of Sur region. Interpretations of limestone formations, their occurrences and distributions of caves, springs and depressions of these regions are verified and confirmed in the field and studied in the laboratory. Occurrences of more springs and depressions in the limestone formations of the study sites are interpreted and located on the Google Earth image. The study proved the capability of ASTER sensor in mapping of limestone formations and recommends the technique to other geographical regions where similar geological questions need to be resolved.     

辽宁西部第四纪哺乳动物及其地层时代

以大、小凌河流域为中心的辽西地区第四纪地层分布广泛, 奥陶纪石灰岩为主的基岩使该地区喀斯特地貌发育, 并在水溶蚀作用下形成洞穴, 为哺乳动物栖息提供了理想的场所。20世纪70年代以前曾发现过建平、凌源西八间房、喀左鸽子洞和锦县沈家台等化石产地, 之后陆续发现了喀左帽儿山洞穴、二布尺洞穴、朝阳马山洞和凌源沟门洞化石产地等。根据动物化石组合及其对比, 辽西发现的这些化石群分别代表中更新世晚期、晚更新世早期、晚更新世中期和晚更新世晚期4个地质时代。这些材料的发现, 对辽西乃至整个东北地区第四纪哺乳动物研究及区域第四纪地层的划分对比等具有重要意义。     

洞穴钟乳石类的分类方案

为填补我国洞穴钟乳石类尚无一较系统的分类方案的空白,根据我国洞穴调查与探测的现有研究程度与发现,和我国主要属“雨水型喀斯特”的基本特点,提出了一个以钟乳石类形成的水动力机制为基础,以形态特征为主导,较适宜于中国洞穴应用的分类方案,共有重力水沉积、非重力水沉积、协同沉积、叠置沉积和异因同形沉积五大类,列出和讨论了在国内洞穴中已被发现分属于各类的60多种个体形态名称及其部分特征。     

重庆丰都雪玉洞群洞穴现代监测与古环境研究回顾和展望

重庆丰都雪玉洞群包括羊子洞、雪玉洞和水鸣洞,西南大学的研究团队从2008年开始对雪玉洞群开展了系统的现代过程监测,以了解洞穴系统气候和环境信息的传输、转化和记录过程。通过对雪玉洞洞穴内外的大气、植被、土壤、基岩、滴水和洞穴沉积物等的动态监测,研究了碳酸盐沉积过程的水化学指标变化,揭示了现代洞穴滴水的影响因素和变化过程,以及碳酸盐沉积物对现代气候环境变化的响应,也为古气候的定量化研究提供了基础支撑。现代过程监测记录表明：雪玉洞CO₂主要来源于上覆土壤,其季节变化受降水的影响较大;在短时间尺度上受到游客旅游活动的影响明显,但幅度远远小于自然过程引起的变化。雪玉洞内次生沉积物的沉积速率具有明显的旱季、雨季特征,不同滴水点下方沉积物的沉积速率变化较大。雪玉洞群三个洞穴的石笋古环境记录研究表明,本区石笋的²³⁰Th/²³²Th比值较适合高精度铀系测年;部分石笋沉积速率较快,平均沉积速率达到0.25 mm·a⁻¹,可以开展高分辨率的气候和环境变化研究。羊子洞YZ1石笋的年龄范围在116~3 ka B.P.之间（平均测年精度2σ,269年）,覆盖了整个末次冰期,δ¹⁸O和δ¹³C的变化曲线和东亚季风区的其他记录具有明显的一致性。同位素测试的时间分辨率平均为88年,成功记录了一些百年－千年尺度的气候突变事件,如Heinrich事件、7.2 ka事件、小冰期等。在精确年代学的基础上,雪玉洞群石笋具有重建高分辨率气候环境变化的潜力。     

Uranium series dating of stalagmites from Blanchard Springs Caverns,U.S.A.

Because stalagmites are enriched in ²³⁴U beyond the equilibrium value at the time of deposition, they are potentially datable by measuring their progress toward equilibrium. Procedures for uranium-thorium and uranium disequilibrium dating of speleothems were developed, making use of alpha spectrometry for thorium determinations and mass spectrometry for uranium determinations. The stalagmites tested were generally beyond the age range of the U-Th age dating method and, as a result, ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratios provided the most useful dating technique. The estimated age range for a stalagmite from Blanchard Springs is 135,000 to 785,000 years BP with an interval of slow or suspended growth from about 320,000 to 570,000 years BP.     

The coupled δC-radiocarbon systematics of three Late Glacial/early Holocene speleothems; insights into soil and cave processes at climatic transitions

The coupled δ¹³C-radiocarbon systematics of three European stalagmites deposited during the Late Glacial and early Holocene were investigated to understand better how the carbon isotope systematics of speleothems respond to climate transitions. The emphasis is on understanding how speleothems may record climate-driven changes in the proportions of biogenic (soil carbon) and limestone bedrock derived carbon. At two of the three sites, the combined δ¹³C and ¹⁴C data argue against greater inputs of limestone carbon as the sole cause of the observed shift to higher δ¹³C during the cold Younger Dryas. In these stalagmites (GAR-01 from La Garma cave, N. Spain and So-1 from Sofular cave, Turkey), the combined changes in δ¹³C and initial ¹⁴C activities suggest enhanced decomposition of old stored, more recalcitrant, soil carbon at the onset of the warmer early Holocene. Alternative explanations involving gradual temporal changes between open- and closed-system behaviour during the Late Glacial are difficult to reconcile with observed changes in speleothem δ¹³C and the growth rates. In contrast, a stalagmite from Pindal cave (N. Spain) indicates an abrupt change in carbon inputs linked to local hydrological and disequilibrium isotope fractionation effects, rather than climate change. For the first time, it is shown that while the initial ¹⁴C activities of all three stalagmites broadly follow the contemporaneous atmospheric ¹⁴C trends (the Younger Dryas atmospheric ¹⁴C anomaly can be clearly discerned), subtle changes in speleothem initial ¹⁴C activities are linked to climate-driven changes in soil carbon turnover at a climate transition.     

古地磁场相对强度的非热剩磁法测定及初步结果

本文叙述了近年来国际上新兴起的利用沉积剩磁与非磁滞剩磁以及饱和等温剩磁的比值推求古地磁场相对强度的基本原理以及该方法应用于石灰岩洞穴二次沉积物磁性分析上的可行性及优越性,并使用我国广西石笋样品求出了中国6000年以来的古地磁场相对强度的变化规律。该规律具有三个特点:1．若干个以1000年为短周期的运动,复合于一长周期运动之内;2．存在五个极大值及五个极小值;3．目前地磁场相对强度近于极小值区。     

周口店新发现距今11～1.9万年的洞穴堆积层的成因及年代学研究

本文对周口店新发现距今11～1.9万年的东岭子洞穴堆积物进行了成因研究,认为该套堆积物并非全属岩溶堆积物,其中也有风成黄土沉积。应用古地磁、热发光及铀系法等年代学方法测定,认为这套堆积为距今11～1.9万年间沉积,弥补了周口店地区近5万年的晚更新世洞穴地层空缺,是一个含有丰富地质事件的晚更新世洞穴地层剖面。     

洞穴碳酸盐微层研究及其发展方向

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