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class="mw-page-title-main">Speleogenesis</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. 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id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Origin and development of caves</div> <p><b>Speleogenesis</b> is the origin and development of <a href="/wiki/Cave" title="Cave">caves</a>, the primary process that determines essential features of the <a href="/wiki/Hydrogeology" title="Hydrogeology">hydrogeology</a> of <a href="/wiki/Karst_topography" class="mw-redirect" title="Karst topography">karst</a> and guides its evolution. It often deals with the development of caves through <a href="/wiki/Limestone" title="Limestone">limestone</a>, caused by the presence of water with <a href="/wiki/Carbon_dioxide" title="Carbon dioxide">carbon dioxide</a> dissolved within it, producing <a href="/wiki/Carbonic_acid" title="Carbonic acid">carbonic acid</a> which permits the <a href="/wiki/Dissociation_(chemistry)" title="Dissociation (chemistry)">dissociation</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Calcium_carbonate" title="Calcium carbonate">calcium carbonate</a> in the limestone. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Limestone">Limestone</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Speleogenesis&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Limestone"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The majority of limestone caves are formed by <a href="/wiki/Calcium_carbonate" title="Calcium carbonate">calcium carbonate</a> <a href="/wiki/Dissolution_(chemistry)" class="mw-redirect" title="Dissolution (chemistry)">dissolution</a> by the solvent action of <a href="/wiki/Meteoric_water" title="Meteoric water">meteoric waters</a> circulating through the rock. </p><p>In the presence of carbon dioxide saturated water, calcium carbonate reacts to form the soluble calcium bicarbonate. </p> <dl><dd>CaCO<sub>3</sub> + CO<sub>2</sub> + H<sub>2</sub>O → Ca(HCO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub></dd></dl> <p>As meteoric waters precipitate they dissolve atmospheric carbon dioxide to form a dilute carbonic acid solution, which builds up in permeable <a href="/wiki/Fracture_(geology)" title="Fracture (geology)">fissures</a>, <a href="/wiki/Bed_(geology)" title="Bed (geology)">bedding planes</a>, joints, and <a href="/wiki/Fault_(geology)" title="Fault (geology)">faults</a> within limestone rocks. The exposed limestone then reacts to become calcium bicarbonate which dissolves in the water and is removed from the fault as the solution flows away. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Phreatic_zone" title="Phreatic zone">Phreatic</a> passages develop in conditions of complete water-fill meaning that ceilings and walls may be eroded as readily as floors. The form is generally that of an ellipse along the host fissure, whilst more circular forms generally indicate faster solvent flow and deep pockets are often indicative of slower flow. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Vadose_zone" title="Vadose zone">Vadose</a> passages develop where the water has a free surface (i.e., in the vadose zone), and are varieties of entrenched, canyon-like channels as found with surface rivers. It is common to see a younger canyon entrenched in the floor of a phreatic passage, signifying a lowering of the <a href="/wiki/Water_table_(architecture)" title="Water table (architecture)">water table</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Scalloping_(cave_feature)" title="Scalloping (cave feature)">Scalloping</a> of cave surfaces may arise in passages of either type as dissolution occurs, further enlarging the passage. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Speleogenesis&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Speleology" title="Speleology">Speleology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Phreatic" title="Phreatic">Phreatic</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Speleogenesis&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFPalmer2003" class="citation journal cs1">Palmer, Arthur N. (2003). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150924104440/http://www.speleogenesis.info/journal/publication.php?id=4484">"Speleogenesis in carbonate rocks"</a>. <i>Speleogenesis and Evolution of Karst Aquifers</i>. <b>1</b> (1). Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.speleogenesis.info/journal/publication.php?id=4484">the original</a> on 24 September 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">7 April</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Speleogenesis+and+Evolution+of+Karst+Aquifers&rft.atitle=Speleogenesis+in+carbonate+rocks&rft.volume=1&rft.issue=1&rft.date=2003&rft.aulast=Palmer&rft.aufirst=Arthur+N.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.speleogenesis.info%2Fjournal%2Fpublication.php%3Fid%3D4484&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpeleogenesis" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Speleogenesis&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es1405/es1405page01.cfm">Exploring Earth: Observe an animation of cave formation</a>, an animation of cave formation in limestone deposits.</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/how-caves-form.html">NOVA: How Caves Form</a>, an interactive explanation of how rain, waves, lava, and bacteria can form caves.</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.speleogenesis.com">Speleogenesis.com</a> - a communication platform for physical speleology and karst science research.</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline 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href="/wiki/Template:Caves" title="Template:Caves"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Caves" title="Template talk:Caves"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Caves" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Caves"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Cave_topics" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Cave" title="Cave">Cave</a> topics</div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div><a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_caving_and_speleology" title="Glossary of caving and speleology">Glossary of caving and speleology</a></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Main topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Biospeleology" title="Biospeleology">Biospeleology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_conservation" title="Cave conservation">Cave conservation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_painting" title="Cave painting">Cave painting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_survey" title="Cave survey">Cave survey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caving" title="Caving">Caving</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cave_diving" title="Cave diving">Diving</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caving_equipment" title="Caving equipment">Equipment</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_fauna" title="Subterranean fauna">Fauna</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Stygofauna" title="Stygofauna">Stygofauna</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Troglofauna" title="Troglofauna">Troglofauna</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Karst" title="Karst">Karst</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Speleogenesis</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Speleology" title="Speleology">Speleology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Caves_by_country" title="Category:Caves by country">Caves by country</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Types and formation<br /> processes</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anchialine_system" title="Anchialine system">Anchihaline cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Breathing_cave" title="Breathing cave">Breathing cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave-in" title="Cave-in">Cave-in</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cenote" title="Cenote">Cenote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Estavelle" title="Estavelle">Estavelle/Inversac</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Foiba" title="Foiba">Foiba</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glacier_cave" title="Glacier cave">Glacier cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ice_cave" title="Ice cave">Ice cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Karst_spring" title="Karst spring">Karst spring</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lava_cave" title="Lava cave">Lava cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ley_tunnel" class="mw-redirect" title="Ley tunnel">Ley tunnel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mining" title="Mining">Mine</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mine_exploration" title="Mine exploration">Exploration</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pit_cave" title="Pit cave">Pit cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ponor" title="Ponor">Ponor</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Salt_cave" title="Salt cave">Salt cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sea_cave" title="Sea cave">Sea cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Solutional_cave" title="Solutional cave">Solutional cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Show_cave" title="Show cave">Show cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sinkhole" title="Sinkhole">Sinkhole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spring_(hydrology)" title="Spring (hydrology)">Spring</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Suffosion" title="Suffosion">Suffosion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sump_(cave)" title="Sump (cave)">Sump</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Talus_cave" title="Talus cave">Talus cave</a></li> <li>Underground <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Underground_lake" title="Underground lake">Lake</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_river" title="Subterranean river">River</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_waterfall" title="Subterranean waterfall">Waterfall</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Speleothem" title="Speleothem">Speleothems</a><br />and <a href="/wiki/Speleogen" title="Speleogen">Speleogens</a><br />(Cave formations)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anthodite" title="Anthodite">Anthodite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Boxwork" title="Boxwork">Boxwork</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Calcite_rafts" title="Calcite rafts">Calcite rafts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_pearl" title="Cave pearl">Cave pearl</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_popcorn" title="Cave popcorn">Cave popcorn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dogtooth_spar" title="Dogtooth spar">Dogtooth spar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flowstone" title="Flowstone">Flowstone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frostwork" title="Frostwork">Frostwork</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Helictite" title="Helictite">Helictite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moonmilk" title="Moonmilk">Moonmilk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rimstone" title="Rimstone">Rimstone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shelfstone" title="Shelfstone">Shelfstone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Snottite" title="Snottite">Snottite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soda_straw" title="Soda straw">Soda straw</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Speleoseismite" title="Speleoseismite">Speleoseismite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stalactite" title="Stalactite">Stalactite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stalagmite" title="Stalagmite">Stalagmite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stalagnate" class="mw-redirect" title="Stalagnate">Stalagnate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vug" title="Vug">Vug</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Dwellings</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cave_dweller" title="Cave dweller">Cave dweller</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave-dwelling_Jews" title="Cave-dwelling Jews">Cave-dwelling Jews</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_cave_monasteries" title="List of cave monasteries">Cave monastery</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kome_Caves" title="Kome Caves">Kome Caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nok_and_Mamproug_Cave_Dwellings" title="Nok and Mamproug Cave Dwellings">Nok and Mamproug Cave Dwellings</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yaodong" title="Yaodong">Yaodong</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Popular culture</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Diving_into_the_Unknown" title="Diving into the Unknown">Diving into the Unknown</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Cave_of_Forgotten_Dreams" title="Cave of Forgotten Dreams">Cave of Forgotten Dreams</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Underground_Eiger" title="The Underground Eiger">The Underground Eiger</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Incidents</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_UK_caving_fatalities" title="List of UK caving fatalities">List of UK caving fatalities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alpazat_cave_rescue" title="Alpazat cave rescue">Alpazat cave rescue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Riesending_cave_rescue" title="Riesending cave rescue">Riesending cave rescue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tham_Luang_cave_rescue" title="Tham Luang cave rescue">Tham Luang cave rescue</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Caves" title="Category:Caves">Category</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p><br /> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1012311289">.mw-parser-output .asbox{position:relative;overflow:hidden}.mw-parser-output .asbox table{background:transparent}.mw-parser-output .asbox p{margin:0}.mw-parser-output .asbox p+p{margin-top:0.25em}.mw-parser-output .asbox-body{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output .asbox-note{font-size:smaller}.mw-parser-output .asbox .navbar{position:absolute;top:-0.75em;right:1em;display:none}</style><div role="note" class="metadata plainlinks asbox stub"><table role="presentation"><tbody><tr class="noresize"><td><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Caving2.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="Stub icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Caving2.jpg/50px-Caving2.jpg" decoding="async" width="50" height="38" 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