Karst and karstification in gypsiferous beds in Mathiesondalen, Central Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Salvigsen, Otto; Lauritzen, Ørnulf; Mangerud, Jan

doi:10.3402/polar.v1i1.6972

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Gypsum beds of the Minkinfjellet and underlying Ebbadalen Formation are widely exposed in the Billefjorden area, where they are subject to active dissolution and karstification. Salvigsen et al (1983) report well-developed, recent collapse dolines and gypsum caves in the Mathiesondalen, which are a result of karstification of gypsum within the Ebbadalen Formation. Some gypsum dissolution and brecciation has therefore occurred in this area during the Quaternary, but it occurred on a modest scale and there is no evidence for karstification of the extent and intensity required to explain massive brecciation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Solution‐collapse breccias of the Minkinfjellet and Wordiekammen Formations, Central Spitsbergen, Svalbard: a large gypsum palaeokarst system

Eliassen

Talbot²

2005

Sedimentology

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Large volumes of carbonate breccia occur in the late syn‐rift and early post‐rift deposits of the Billefjorden Trough, Central Spitsbergen. Breccias are developed throughout the Moscovian Minkinfjellet Formation and in basal parts of the Kazimovian Wordiekammen Formation. Breccias can be divided into two categories: (i) thick, cross‐cutting breccia‐bodies up to 200 m thick that are associated with breccia pipes and large V‐structures, and (ii) horizontal stratabound breccia beds interbedded with undeformed carbonate and siliciclastic rocks. The thick breccias occur in the central part of the basin, whereas the stratabound breccia beds have a much wider areal extent towards the basin margins. The breccias were formed by gravitational collapse into cavities formed by dissolution of gypsum and anhydrite beds in the Minkinfjellet Formation. Several dissolution fronts have been discovered, demonstrating the genetic relationship between dissolution of gypsum and brecciation. Textures and structures typical of collapse breccias such as inverse grading, a sharp flat base, breccia pipes (collapse dolines) and V‐structures (cave roof collapse) are also observed. The breccias are cemented by calcite cements of pre‐compaction, shallow burial origin. Primary fluid inclusions in the calcite are dominantly single phase containing fresh water (final melting points are ca 0 °C), suggesting that breccia diagenesis occurred in meteoric waters. Cathodoluminescence (CL) zoning of the cements shows a consistent pattern of three cement stages, but the abundance of each stage varies stratigraphically and laterally. δ18O values of breccia cements are more negative relative to marine limestones and meteoric cements developed in unbrecciated Minkinfjellet limestones. There is a clear relationship between δ18O values and the abundance of the different cement generations detected by CL. Paragenetically, later cements have lower δ18O values recording increased temperatures during their precipitation. Carbon isotope values of the cements are primarily rock‐buffered although a weak trend towards more negative values with increasing burial depth is observed. The timing of gypsum dissolution and brecciation was most likely related to major intervals of exposure of the carbonate platform during Gzhelian and/or Asselian/Sakmarian times. These intervals of exposure occurred shortly after deposition of the brecciated units and before deep burial of the sediments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Solution‐collapse breccias of the Minkinfjellet and Wordiekammen Formations, Central Spitsbergen, Svalbard: a large gypsum palaeokarst system

Eliassen

Talbot²

2005

Sedimentology

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“…For example, Liestøl (1976Liestøl ( , 1980Liestøl ( , 1986 measured permafrost temperatures and permafrost thickness in several deep boreholes on Spitsbergen, while Gregersen & Eidsmoen (1988) studied near-shore permafrost conditions at Longyearbyen and Svea. Salvigsen & Elgersma (1985) and Salvigsen et al (1983) discussed the issue of taliks and karst features in permafrost in relation to large glaciers, major lakes or warm groundwater springs. Lauritzen & Bottrell (1994) described microbiological activity in some of these Svalbard springs.…”

Section: Svalbard Permafrost Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Permafrost in Svalbard: a review of research history, climatic background and engineering challenges

Humlum¹,

Инстанес²,

Sollid³

2003

Polar Research

148

137

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This paper reviews permafrost in High Arctic Svalbard, including past and current research, climatic background, how permafrost is affected by climatic change, typical permafrost landforms and how changes in Svalbard permafrost may impact natural and human systems. Information on active layer dynamics, permafrost and ground ice characteristics and selected periglacial features is summarized from the recent literature and from unpublished data by the authors. Permafrost thickness ranges from less than 100 m near the coasts to more than 500 m in the highlands. Ground ice is present as rock glaciers, as ice‐cored moraines, buried glacial ice, and in pingos and ice wedges in major valleys. Engineering problems of thaw‐settlement and frost‐heave are described, and the implications for road design and construction in Svalbard permafrost areas are discussed.

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“…These lithified units reflect the cementation processes active in a limited limestone area of Svalbard. We also know that solution of sulphatic bedrock with formation of karstic features is a presently active process in the valley (Salvigsen et al 1983), but we cannot relate these dissolved elements to the cementation discussed here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…The age determination of these rocks is a matter of great importance, but unfortunately no fossil material was found in any of the carbonate cemented units. However, there is shell material in the marine, unconsolidated beds above, revealing a Holocene age of these raised beach deposits (Salvigsen et al 1983). We attach great importance to the fact that one of the tillite exposures shows both cemented and non-cemented material, showing a gradual transition from one stage to the next.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Holocene sedimentary rocks in Mathiesondalen, central Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Lauritzen¹,

Salvigsen²

1983

Polar Research

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Holocene lithified sediments of glacial and glaciofluvial origin have been found in environments where carbonate cementation is a present‐day process. The rocks occur as well cemented tillites, conglomerates, coarse sandstones and breccias, indicating a complex depositional pattern within a limited area. Both clasts and carbonate cement are mainly derived from underlying Carboniferous and Permian sequences which form the bedrock of this area.

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Karst and karstification in gypsiferous beds in Mathiesondalen, Central Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Cited by 8 publications

References 3 publications

Solution‐collapse breccias of the Minkinfjellet and Wordiekammen Formations, Central Spitsbergen, Svalbard: a large gypsum palaeokarst system

Solution‐collapse breccias of the Minkinfjellet and Wordiekammen Formations, Central Spitsbergen, Svalbard: a large gypsum palaeokarst system

Permafrost in Svalbard: a review of research history, climatic background and engineering challenges

Holocene sedimentary rocks in Mathiesondalen, central Spitsbergen, Svalbard

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