The use of passive seismological imaging in speleogenetic studies; an example from Kanaan Cave, Lebanon

Modal Analysis of a Lava Tube Roof Complex: Tabernacle Hill, Utah, USA

“…The integrated approach applied in this study, combining ambient vibration array data and numerical eigenfrequency modeling, shows promising potential for mapping and structural characterization of underground cavities. As opposed to previous studies that mainly exploited ambient vibration measurements for subsurface imaging of karst systems (Nehme et al 2013;Fedin et al 2021), our results highlight that a similar methodology can be successfully applied for generalized characterization and structural health monitoring of underground cavity roofs in different geological contexts. While no inferences on the lava tube stability can be made from the obtained results, our approach can represent a benchmark in the perspective of replicating non-invasive field measurements after intense events (e.g., earthquakes or heavy rainfall), or periodically monitoring potential recoverable and permanent structural damage (Bessette-Kirton et al 2022).…”

“…Generally, the combination of local geology and anthropogenic factors can lead to the formation of sinkholes, geologic features often originating from dissolution and deep piping processes (Waltham 2008;Esposito et al 2021), which can evolve toward collapse of the ground surface. At the same time, underground cavities, such as caves, caverns, and lava tubes, can also be designated as natural or cultural heritage sites known for their unique geological features and archeological value (Nehme et al 2013;Woo et al 2019;Bentivenga et al 2019). The UNESCO World Heritage List currently includes more than 100 natural and anthropic cavern sites worldwide famous for their natural and historical significance.…”

Climate dynamics during the penultimate glacial period recorded in a speleothem from Kanaan Cave, Lebanon (central Levant)

“…It is developed in the Middle Jurassic Kesrouane Formation, a limestone unit with an average stratigraphic thickness of 1000 m (Dubertret, 1975). Stalagmite K2-2010 was growing on rimstone dams covering clay sediments in the central part of the Collapse I chamber (Nehme et al, 2013) and at 20 m from the cave entrance (which did not exist prior to 1997). The passage height at this location is 0.5 m with approximately 50 m of limestone overburden.…”

Microbial ecology of tourist Paleolithic caves

“…bat guano (Saiz-Jimenez and Hermosin, 1999;Barton and Jurado, 2007;Cuezva et al, 2009;Pasić et al, 2010;Vanderwolf et al, 2013). Caves may also represent heterogeneous systems because of the nature and surface properties of the various internal rock layers, the architecture and connectivity of the cave (Cañveras et al, 2001;Nehme, 2013), as well as airflow and climatic exchanges with the outside atmosphere (Russell, 1998;Banerjee and Joshi, 2013). Outside conditions impact most on the entrance zone of caves (Banerjee and Joshi, 2013), and thus climatic fluctuations within caves depend on the distance to the entrance, as well as epikarst thickness (Cuezva et al, 2009).…”