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Dolines are landforms that consist of depressions or sinkholes in the ground that are usually formed by the dissolution of underlying limestone or other soluble rocks. They can vary in size and shape, often creating unique landscapes and sometimes causing hazards such as collapse. Dolines are commonly found in karst regions.
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What forms when limestone found in the earth has been eaten away?
Dissolution features such as dolines and sink holes as well as caves are common when limestone wihin the earth is dissolved.
Why do caves occur?
The vast majority of caves are in limestone but there are also lava tubes (left when molten rock flows from beneath a solidifed crust), mass-movement fissures (a type of land-slip feature), and so on. For Limestone: That is such a common question on ‘Answers’ I wrote this single reply I can simply paste! Most of the world’s caves are in Limestone. Caves need three materials: a soluble rock like Limestone or Gypsum, water and carbon-dioxide (CO2). Their host limestone also needs to be of appropriate physical structure and raised into hills, then subjected to reasonably consistent precipitation for many tens or hundreds of thousands of years. Limestone is a sedimentary rock of which the world’s greater proportion was laid down in warm, relatively shallow, seas. The rock was laid in horizontal layers – Beds – separated by Bedding-planes which generally reflect geologically-brief changes in the environment. The suite of beds is known as a Formation, generally named after its “type area”. Later continental uplift (tectonic processes) raise the formation along with its underlying rocks, usually tilting and folding it to at least some extent in the process. Since most rocks are brittle they cannot take much stress, and limestone beds crack into grids of fine fractures called Joints. The uplift and folding often also causes Faulting – major breaks with the rock mass one side of the Fault Plane being raised, lowered or moved horizontally past that on the opposite side. (Note: Plane – the “Fault Line” sometimes misused as a political metaphor is that of the fault-plane cutting the land surface.) Now we have the hills, next we need rain-water that has absorbed atmospheric CO2 to create Carbonic Acid (weak but natural soda water in fact!). This permeates through all those joints, bedding-planes and faults; flowing very, very slowly under considerable pressure applied by its depth, from its sinks on the surface to its springs at the base of the formation. In doing so, it dissolves the limestone (chemical weathering), creating meshes of tiny micro-conduits that over many tens of thousands of years coalesce and capture each other to form cave passages. Once this happens, the rate of erosion can increase – though still to perhaps only a few millimetres per thousand years under generally temperate climates. A cave, or series within a cave system, that still carries its formative stream is called “Active”, and is still being developed. Surface changes such as the valley floor being lowered by erosion, or down-cutting within the cave by its stream, changes the water’s route and the original, now dried-out, stream-way is called “Fossil” or “Abandoned”. Such passages may be filled with silt left by floods as the main flow gradually abandons them; or may become richly decorated with Speleothems – calcite deposits such as stalactites and stalagmites precipitated from ground-water still oozing through the joints in the limestone above the cave. In time such passages may start to break down as there is no stream to dissolve away slabs falling from the roof as permeating ground-water attacks the rock above. In the end, surface lowering of the landscape as a whole, breaches and destroys the cave. Nothing is permanent in Nature! Caves in limestone are also parts of Karst Landscape. i.e. a landscape developed by the dissolution of limestone, giving surface features like Dolines, Limestone Pavement, and in the tropics, distinctive hills such as those represented in Chinese Willow-pattern images. ‘Karst’ is from the Slavic word ‘Kras’, the name for its world type-area. @@@@@ The above is purely an introduction to a vastly more complex and subtle series of processes, of course, and I would refer you to appropriate text-books on geology and cave studies to learn these. The scientific study of caves is Speleology – embracing geology, hydrology, biology, archaeology and other disciplines. Simply visiting caves to enjoy them for their scenery and the physical and mental challenges they present, is called Caving, though you can’t study a cave unless you can negotiate its obstacles. We caving enthusiasts are simply Cavers, throughout the English-speaking world – not “spelunkers”, which appears to be merely rude, USA-only, slang for novices and dilettantes!
What process hollows out limestone caves?
How Caves Form in LimestoneThat is such a common question on ‘Answers’ I wrote this single reply! The technical terms are introduced by capital initials.Most of the world’s caves are in Limestone.Caves need three materials: a soluble rock like Limestone or Gypsum, water and Carbon-dioxide (CO2).Their host limestone also needs to be of appropriate physical structure and raised into hills, then subjected to reasonably consistent precipitation for many tens or hundreds of thousands of years.Limestone is a sedimentary rock of which the world’s greater proportion was laid down in warm, relatively shallow, seas. The rock was laid in horizontal layers – Beds – separated by Bedding-planes which generally reflect geologically-brief changes in the environment. The suite of beds is known as a Formation, generally named after its “type area”.Later continental uplift (tectonic processes) raise the formation along with its underlying rocks, usually tilting and folding it to at least some extent in the process. Since most rocks are brittle they cannot take much stress, and limestone beds crack into grids of fine fractures called Joints. The uplift and folding often also causes Faulting – major breaks with the rock mass one side of the Fault Plane being raised, lowered or moved horizontally past that on the opposite side. (Note: Plane – the “Fault Line” sometimes misused as a political metaphor is that of the fault-plane cutting the land surface.)Now we have the hills, next we need rain-water that has absorbed atmospheric CO2 to create Carbonic Acid (weak, natural soda water in fact!). It may be augmented by acids from the soil, too. This solvent permeates through all those joints, bedding-planes and faults; flowing very, very slowly under considerable pressure applied by its depth, from its sinks on the surface to its springs at the base of the formation. In doing so, it dissolves the limestone (chemical weathering), creating meshes of tiny micro-conduits that over many tens of thousands of years coalesce and capture each other to form cave passages.Once this happens, the rate of erosion can increase – though still to perhaps only a few millimetres per thousand years under generally temperate climates.A cave, or a series within a cave system, that still carries its formative stream is called “Active”, and is still being developed.Surface changes such as the valley floor being lowered by erosion, or down-cutting within the cave by its stream, changes the water’s route and the original, now dried-out, stream-way is called “Fossil” or “Abandoned”. Such passages may be filled with silt left by floods as the main flow gradually abandons them; or may become richly decorated with Speleothems – calcite deposits such as stalactites and stalagmites precipitated from ground-water still oozing through the joints in the limestone above the cave. In time such passages may start to break down as there is no stream to dissolve away slabs falling from the roof as permeating ground-water attacks the rock above.In the end, surface lowering of the landscape as a whole, breaches and destroys the cave. Nothing is permanent in Nature!Caves in limestone are also parts of Karst Landscape. i.e. a landscape developed by the dissolution of limestone, giving surface features like Dolines, Limestone Pavement, and in the tropics, distinctive hills such as those represented in Chinese Willow-pattern images. ‘Karst’ is from the Slavic word ‘Kras’, the name for its world type-area.@@@@@The above is purely an introduction to a vastly more complex and subtle series of processes, of course, and you need to refer to appropriate text-books on geology and cave studies to learn them.The scientific study of caves is Speleology – embracing geology, hydrology, biology, archaeology and other disciplines.Simply visiting caves to enjoy them for their scenery and the physical and mental challenges they present, is called Caving, though you can’t study a cave unless you can negotiate its obstacles. The enthusiasts are simply Cavers throughout the English-speaking world – not the old slang word “spelunkers” sometimes repeated on ‘Answers’.
How are caves built?
The vast majority of the worl'd caves are in limestone. How Caves Form in Limestone That is such a common question on ‘Answers’ I wrote this single reply! The technical terms are introduced by capital initials. Most of the world’s caves are in Limestone. Caves need three materials: a soluble rock like Limestone or Gypsum, water and Carbon-dioxide (CO2). Their host limestone also needs to be of appropriate physical structure and raised into hills, then subjected to reasonably consistent precipitation for many tens or hundreds of thousands of years. Limestone is a sedimentary rock of which the world’s greater proportion was laid down in warm, relatively shallow, seas. The rock was laid in horizontal layers – Beds – separated by Bedding-planes which generally reflect geologically-brief changes in the environment. The suite of beds is known as a Formation, generally named after its “type area”. Later continental uplift (tectonic processes) raise the formation along with its underlying rocks, usually tilting and folding it to at least some extent in the process. Since most rocks are brittle they cannot take much stress, and limestone beds crack into grids of fine fractures called Joints. The uplift and folding often also causes Faulting – major breaks with the rock mass one side of the Fault Plane being raised, lowered or moved horizontally past that on the opposite side. (Note: Plane – the “Fault Line” sometimes misused as a political metaphor is that of the fault-plane cutting the land surface.) Now we have the hills, next we need rain-water that has absorbed atmospheric CO2 to create Carbonic Acid (weak, natural soda water in fact!). It may be augmented by acids from the soil, too. This solvent permeates through all those joints, bedding-planes and faults; flowing very, very slowly under considerable pressure applied by its depth, from its sinks on the surface to its springs at the base of the formation. In doing so, it dissolves the limestone (chemical weathering), creating meshes of tiny micro-conduits that over many tens of thousands of years coalesce and capture each other to form cave passages. Once this happens, the rate of erosion can increase – though still to perhaps only a few millimetres per thousand years under generally temperate climates. A cave, or a series within a cave system, that still carries its formative stream is called “Active”, and is still being developed. Surface changes such as the valley floor being lowered by erosion, or down-cutting within the cave by its stream, changes the water’s route and the original, now dried-out, stream-way is called “Fossil” or “Abandoned”. Such passages may be filled with silt left by floods as the main flow gradually abandons them; or may become richly decorated with Speleothems – calcite deposits such as stalactites and stalagmites precipitated from ground-water still oozing through the joints in the limestone above the cave. In time such passages may start to break down as there is no stream to dissolve away slabs falling from the roof as permeating ground-water attacks the rock above. In the end, surface lowering of the landscape as a whole, breaches and destroys the cave. Nothing is permanent in Nature! Caves in limestone are also parts of Karst Landscape. i.e. a landscape developed by the dissolution of limestone, giving surface features like Dolines, Limestone Pavement, and in the tropics, distinctive hills such as those represented in Chinese Willow-pattern images. ‘Karst’ is from the Slavic word ‘Kras’, the name for its world type-area. @@@@@ The above is purely an introduction to a vastly more complex and subtle series of processes, of course, and you need to refer to appropriate text-books on geology and cave studies to learn them. The scientific study of caves is Speleology – embracing geology, hydrology, biology, archaeology and other disciplines. Simply visiting caves to enjoy them for their scenery and the physical and mental challenges they present, is called Caving, though you can’t study a cave unless you can negotiate its obstacles. The enthusiasts are simply Cavers throughout the English-speaking world –you see “spelunkers” sometimes on ‘Answers’ but it's an old slang word not found in caving literature.. .
Why do caves happen?
Since the vast majoroty of the world's caves are in limestone:How Caves Form in LimestoneThat is such a common question on ‘Answers’ I wrote this single reply! The technical terms are introduced by capital initials.Most of the world’s caves are in Limestone.Caves need three materials: a soluble rock like Limestone or Gypsum, water and Carbon-dioxide (CO2).Their host limestone also needs to be of appropriate physical structure and raised into hills, then subjected to reasonably consistent precipitation for many tens or hundreds of thousands of years.Limestone is a sedimentary rock of which the world’s greater proportion was laid down in warm, relatively shallow, seas. The rock was laid in horizontal layers – Beds – separated by Bedding-planes which generally reflect geologically-brief changes in the environment. The suite of beds is known as a Formation, generally named after its “type area”.Later continental uplift (tectonic processes) raise the formation along with its underlying rocks, usually tilting and folding it to at least some extent in the process. Since most rocks are brittle they cannot take much stress, and limestone beds crack into grids of fine fractures called Joints. The uplift and folding often also causes Faulting – major breaks with the rock mass one side of the Fault Plane being raised, lowered or moved horizontally past that on the opposite side. (Note: Plane – the “Fault Line” sometimes misused as a political metaphor is that of the fault-plane cutting the land surface.)Now we have the hills, next we need rain-water that has absorbed atmospheric CO2 to create Carbonic Acid (weak, natural soda water in fact!). It may be augmented by acids from the soil, too. This solvent permeates through all those joints, bedding-planes and faults; flowing very, very slowly under considerable pressure applied by its depth, from its sinks on the surface to its springs at the base of the formation. In doing so, it dissolves the limestone (chemical weathering), creating meshes of tiny micro-conduits that over many tens of thousands of years coalesce and capture each other to form cave passages.Once this happens, the rate of erosion can increase – though still to perhaps only a few millimetres per thousand years under generally temperate climates.A cave, or a series within a cave system, that still carries its formative stream is called “Active”, and is still being developed.Surface changes such as the valley floor being lowered by erosion, or down-cutting within the cave by its stream, changes the water’s route and the original, now dried-out, stream-way is called “Fossil” or “Abandoned”. Such passages may be filled with silt left by floods as the main flow gradually abandons them; or may become richly decorated with Speleothems – calcite deposits such as stalactites and stalagmites precipitated from ground-water still oozing through the joints in the limestone above the cave. In time such passages may start to break down as there is no stream to dissolve away slabs falling from the roof as permeating ground-water attacks the rock above.In the end, surface lowering of the landscape as a whole, breaches and destroys the cave. Nothing is permanent in Nature!Caves in limestone are also parts of Karst Landscape. i.e. a landscape developed by the dissolution of limestone, giving surface features like Dolines, Limestone Pavement, and in the tropics, distinctive hills such as those represented in Chinese Willow-pattern images. ‘Karst’ is from the Slavic word ‘Kras’, the name for its world type-area.@@@@@The above is purely an introduction to a vastly more complex and subtle series of processes, of course, and you need to refer to appropriate text-books on geology and cave studies to learn them.The scientific study of caves is Speleology – embracing geology, hydrology, biology, archaeology and other disciplines.Simply visiting caves to enjoy them for their scenery and the physical and mental challenges they present, is called Caving, though you can’t study a cave unless you can negotiate its obstacles. The enthusiasts are simply Cavers throughout the English-speaking world – not the old slang word “spelunkers” sometimes repeated on ‘Answers’.
What are the three features that characterize Karst topography?
The three features that characterize Karst topography are sinkholes (depressions in the ground), caves and underground drainage systems (such as caverns and disappearing streams), and dolines (closed depressions similar to sinkholes but shallower).
What is a subsidence doline and how are they formed?
A subsidence doline is a sinkhole that forms when layers of rock above an underground cavity collapse. This collapse can be triggered by factors such as erosion, groundwater depletion, or human activities. Subsidence dolines are typically circular and can vary in size from a few meters to hundreds of meters in diameter.
What are formed when limestone found in the Earth has been eaten away?
Caves and sinkholes are formed when limestone is dissolved by underground water, creating underground spaces. Karst topography, characterized by these features, is a landscape formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks like limestone.
What forms when limestone found in the earth has been eaten away?
Dissolution features such as dolines and sink holes as well as caves are common when limestone wihin the earth is dissolved.
What are some seven letter words with 1st letter D and 3rd letter L and 5th letter N and 6th letter E?
According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 1 words with the pattern D-L-NE-. That is, seven letter words with 1st letter D and 3rd letter L and 5th letter N and 6th letter E. In alphabetical order, they are: dolines
What are some seven letter words with 1st letter D and 2nd letter O and 3rd letter L and 6th letter E?
According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 4 words with the pattern DOL--E-. That is, seven letter words with 1st letter D and 2nd letter O and 3rd letter L and 6th letter E. In alphabetical order, they are: dolines dollied dollier dollies
What are some seven letter words with 2nd letter O and 3rd letter L and 4th letter I and 5th letter N?
According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 8 words with the pattern -OLIN--. That is, seven letter words with 2nd letter O and 3rd letter L and 4th letter I and 5th letter N. In alphabetical order, they are: bolines dolinas dolines holings molines molinet polings tolings
What are some seven letter words with 1st letter D and 3rd letter L and 4th letter I and 5th letter N and 6th letter E?
According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 1 words with the pattern D-LINE-. That is, seven letter words with 1st letter D and 3rd letter L and 4th letter I and 5th letter N and 6th letter E. In alphabetical order, they are: dolines
What are some seven letter words with 1st letter D and 2nd letter O and 4th letter I and 7th letter S?
According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 10 words with the pattern DO-I--S. That is, seven letter words with 1st letter D and 2nd letter O and 4th letter I and 7th letter S. In alphabetical order, they are: dolinas dolines domines dominos donings dopings dorises dorizes dotings dozings
What are some seven letter words with 1st letter D and 2nd letter O and 3rd letter L and 4th letter I and 7th letter S?
According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 2 words with the pattern DOLI--S. That is, seven letter words with 1st letter D and 2nd letter O and 3rd letter L and 4th letter I and 7th letter S. In alphabetical order, they are: dolinas dolines
What are some seven letter words with 2nd letter O and 3rd letter L and 5th letter N and 6th letter E?
According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 8 words with the pattern -OL-NE-. That is, seven letter words with 2nd letter O and 3rd letter L and 5th letter N and 6th letter E. In alphabetical order, they are: bolines boloney colonel colones dolines molines molinet tolanes
What are some seven letter words with 1st letter D and 4th letter I and 5th letter N and 6th letter E?
According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 13 words with the pattern D--INE-. That is, seven letter words with 1st letter D and 4th letter I and 5th letter N and 6th letter E. In alphabetical order, they are: defined definer defines desined desines divined diviner divines dolines dominee domines drained drainer
