Artificial Helictites and Gypsum Flowers

Huff, L.C.

doi:10.1086/624919

Cited by 19 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Previous authors have concluded from this pattern that they are apparently not influenced by gravity (e.g., Huff 1940;Moore 1954; Göbel and Rein- both 1972). However, a wide variety of processes of formation have been discussed to explain their unusual behavior (reviewed by Moore 1954, Göb-el and Reinboth 1972, and Bögli 1980, as well as Hill and Forti 1986.…”

Section: Helictites: a Reviewsupporting

confidence: 50%

“…These include formation induced by bacteria, algae, or fungi, osmosis, precipitation from aerosols, or distortion by cave winds. The most recent accepted theory is based on the hydrostatic pressure-capillarity theory of Huff (1940), combined with the curvature theory of Moore (1954): if carbonatesaturated solution flows out of a small pore in the cave wall and, as a result of a change in the Pco 2 and the loss of CO 2 , calcite is precipitated as a thin film around the pore. As solution continues to flow through the wall opening, the pore is elongated as a central canal.…”

Section: Helictites: a Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ancient helictites and the formation of vadose crystal silt in Upper Jurassic carbonates (southern Germany)

Reinhold¹

1998

Journal of Sedimentary Research

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Speleothems and vadose crystal silt are effective indications for karstification processes in the fossil record. Upper Jurassic limestones in Southern Germany that have undergone vadose diagenesis contain on crystal margins and tips of coarse bladed calcites numerous fibrous calcite crystals, formed by abnormal growth conditions, and internal sediment within fractures and vugs. Fibrous calcite crystals grew as crusts, in fence-and mesh-like arrangements. Fibrous crystals, which have a length:width ratio of greater than 1:10, are made up of stacked subcrystals composed of an alternation of hexagonal prisms and rhombohedra. They exhibit a central to somewhat eccentric capillary. Electron probe microanalysis shows low-Mg calcite mineralogy with negligible amounts of Fe, Mn, and Sr as well as disseminated clay and metal hydroxide impurities. Stable-isotope data show relatively 13 C-enriched and 18 O-depleted values (␦ 13 C ϳ ؉2‰ PDB, ␦ 18 O ϳ Ϫ6‰ PDB), suggesting a meteoric environment and CO 2 degassing as the main process of formation. Fibrous calcite crystals form from capillary fluids that are highly supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate, contaminated with alien mineral impurities. The abnormal growth pattern is suggested to be substrate-controlled and attributed to mineral impurities that produce numerous crystallization nuclei.Fibrous calcite crystals are comparable to helictites of the filiform type that are reported only from Quaternary caves. Nevertheless, the diagenetic sequence and oxygen isotope data suggest a Late Cretaceous to early Tertiary age for their formation.The internal sediment consists exclusively of silt-size fragments of fibrous crystals and therefore is comparable to vadose crystal silt. Crystal silt is generated by the erosion of fibrous crystals both by vadose seepage and air currents.This study is the first observation of ancient helictites and related vadose crystal silt, documenting the close relationship between poreceiling vadose cements and the generation of crystal silt.

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Section: Helictites: a Reviewsupporting

confidence: 50%

Section: Helictites: a Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ancient helictites and the formation of vadose crystal silt in Upper Jurassic carbonates (southern Germany)

Reinhold¹

1998

Journal of Sedimentary Research

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“…Beyond speleothems, these include structures as diverse as hydrothermal vents [6], chemical gardens [7], mollusc shells [8], and tubes whose growth is templated by bubbles [9]. Further development of greatly-accelerated model systems [10] to allow quantitative tests of such theories is thus an important goal.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Equation (10) has no real solution at 0. This is to be expected as the growth law (9) can not be valid exactly at the tip, where capillarity must modify the thickness of the film.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Stalactite Growth as a Free-Boundary Problem: A Geometric Law and Its Platonic Ideal

et al. 2005

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The chemical mechanisms underlying the growth of cave formations such as stalactites are well known, yet no theory has yet been proposed which successfully accounts for the dynamic evolution of their shapes. Here we consider the interplay of thin-film fluid dynamics, calcium carbonate chemistry, and CO2 transport in the cave to show that stalactites evolve according to a novel local geometric growth law which exhibits extreme amplification at the tip as a consequence of the locally-varying fluid layer thickness. Studies of this model show that a broad class of initial conditions is attracted to an ideal shape which is strikingly close to a statistical average of natural stalactites.

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“…A uf der Suche nach Experimenten, welche das Wachstum von Tropfsteinen im Labor nachvollziehen, findet sich fast ausschließlich ein Versuchstyp, dessen Prinzip immer das Eindunsten gesättigter Salzlösungen ist, die von einem Faden oder aus einem Röhrchen abtropfen (Soda [1], Fixiersalz und weitere Salze [2]). Der apparative Aufwand ist zwar gering (Abbildung 1), das Versuchsergebnis jedoch erst nach mehreren Tagen zu erkennen.…”

unclassified

Tropfsteine im Zeitraffer. Geochemie und Betonkorrosion

Schmidkonz

Wittke

2006

Chemie in nserer Zeit

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Artificial Helictites and Gypsum Flowers

Cited by 19 publications

References 0 publications

Ancient helictites and the formation of vadose crystal silt in Upper Jurassic carbonates (southern Germany)

Ancient helictites and the formation of vadose crystal silt in Upper Jurassic carbonates (southern Germany)

Stalactite Growth as a Free-Boundary Problem: A Geometric Law and Its Platonic Ideal

Tropfsteine im Zeitraffer. Geochemie und Betonkorrosion

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