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Karst

Karst. Karst in Slovenia. The Classical Karst or the Kras Plateau , is a limestone plateau region in southwestern Slovenia extending into northeastern Italy . Karst in Slovenia. The region is famous as the inspiration for the geological term karst topography. Karst Topography.

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Karst

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  1. Karst

  2. Karst in Slovenia The Classical Karst or the Kras Plateau, is a limestone plateau region in southwestern Slovenia extending into northeastern Italy

  3. Karst in Slovenia The region is famous as the inspiration for the geological term karst topography

  4. Karst Topography Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of soluble bedrock Most typically when carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, is dissolved away by mildly acidic rain and ground water

  5. Karst Topography As rain falls through the atmosphere, or when water percolates through soil, it can easily pick up CO2, which dissolves in the water forming carbonic acid H2O + CO2 > H2CO3

  6. Karst Topography This mildly acidic water begins to dissolve the surface of fractures or bedding planes in the carbonate (limestone) bedrock Over time these fractures enlarge as the bedrock continues to dissolve

  7. Karst Topography Many karst regions display distinctive surface features, such as sinkholes, pinnacles and “pavement” Due to subterranean drainage, there may be very limited surface water

  8. Karst Topography Karst topography is also commonly characterized by caves, sinkholes and streams that disappear and reappear

  9. Caves Over time, underground water can create cave passages and large rooms (Mike will discuss caves)

  10. Rock Shelters Note that many rock shelters, such as the Canyon del Muerto Mummy Cave, Arizona, are not formed in karst, but rather are the results of collapse

  11. Pollution and Karst Karst terrain is very subject to pollution because the sinkholes, sinking streams and caves can easily funnel the pollution down to the water table

  12. Pinnacle Karst Even on a small scale, karst landscapes can be very impressive

  13. Tower Karst On a grand scale, karst terrain can be extremely spectacular, such as the “tower” karst found in Guangxi, China

  14. Tower Karst Such tower karst has served as inspiration for the distinctive art from Southeast Asia that commonly depicts a seemingly magical landscape of magnificent rock pillars that rise above valley floors and utterly dwarfs any manmade features that may appear in the work

  15. Phang Nga Bay, Thailand Phang Nga Bay is a beach resort and national park, which is world famous for its tower karst

  16. Phang Nga Bay, Thailand Limestone karst and the sea mix well

  17. Sinkholes Sinkholes are perhaps the most common surface expression of karst The Central Kentucky Karst is a prime example

  18. Sinkholes Note the absolute lack of surface streams If the sinkhole is deep enough, the water table may be exposed

  19. Sinkholes Sinkholes can also intersect cave passages Rio Camuy Cave, Puerto Rico

  20. Sinkholes

  21. Sinkholes Over pumping of ground water in Antelope Valley, California caused fissure and sinkhole depressions on the Rodgers Dry Lake bed, which is composed of gypsum and other salts

  22. Winter Park Sinkhole, Florida On 8-9 May 1981, during a drought in Central Florida, a massive collapse sinkhole formed in Winter Park, Florida

  23. Winter Park Sinkhole, Florida In a single day, the hole widened to 320 feet and to a depth of 90 feet, destroying an car dealership, a public pool and "ate" an entire two-story home

  24. Sinkholes Such catastrophic collapses can occur when the water table drops Without the buoyant effect of the water, the overburden of rock (ceiling) caves-in

  25. Giant Daisetta, Texas Sinkhole A sinkhole appeared on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 in Daisetta, Texas northeast of Houston By the next day it was 100 feet deep and 600 feet wide

  26. Giant Daisetta, Texas Sinkhole Two days later, the sinkhole had grown to be 260 feet deep and 900 feet wide It had swallowed oil tanks, trees, tractors and other vehicles The mixture of oil and mud at the bottom of the sinkhole made it look like a tar pit

  27. Giant Daisetta, Texas Sinkhole The sinkhole lies on top of a salt dome It is believed that water had seeped into the top of the dome and had dissolved away salt leaving a void Also, oil was being pumped out of the salt dome and this may have helped create a void Click on CBS News video to view (includes commercial)

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