Analysis of influencing factors on mineral morphology of active speleothem

HUANG Yangyang; LI Tingyong; XIAO Siya; CHEN Chaojun; HUANG Ran; WANG Tao; WU Yao; XU Yuzhen; QIU Haiying; YANG Yan; LI Junyun

doi:10.11932/karst20220315

2022 No. 3

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Article navigation > Carsologica Sinica > 2022 > 41(3): 488-500

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HUANG Yangyang, LI Tingyong, XIAO Siya, CHEN Chaojun, HUANG Ran, WANG Tao, WU Yao, XU Yuzhen, QIU Haiying, YANG Yan, LI Junyun. Analysis of influencing factors on mineral morphology of active speleothem——A case study of Furong cave in Chongqing[J]. Carsologica Sinica, 2022, 41(3): 488-500. doi: 10.11932/karst20220315

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HUANG Yangyang, LI Tingyong, XIAO Siya, CHEN Chaojun, HUANG Ran, WANG Tao, WU Yao, XU Yuzhen, QIU Haiying, YANG Yan, LI Junyun. Analysis of influencing factors on mineral morphology of active speleothem——A case study of Furong cave in Chongqing[J]. Carsologica Sinica, 2022, 41(3): 488-500. doi: 10.11932/karst20220315

Analysis of influencing factors on mineral morphology of active speleothem

1.
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Karst Environment, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
2.
Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR&GZAR/Institute of Karst Geology, CAGS, Guilin,Guangxi 541004, China
3.
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Geographical Processes & Environmental Changes, Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming,Yunnan 650500, China

More Information

Corresponding authors: LI Tingyong, cdlity@163.com ; LI Junyun, jxljy@swu.edu.cn

Received Date: 12 January 2022

Publish Date: 25 June 2022

Abstract

Abstract

Stalagmites, secondary mineral deposits forming in karst caves, record much paleo-climate and paleo-environment information. In stalagmites, the mineral forms of calcium carbonate are aragonite and calcite. It is considered that the properties of bedrock, discharge of drip water, pH, and the Mg/Ca ratios of drip water are the important factors affecting the crystal morphology. In addition, the changes of mineral morphology in stalagmites are thought to indicate the changes of paleo-climate and paleo-environment. At present, most studies focus on inferring the change of paleoclimate through the crystal morphology in stalagmites, while there are few studies on analyzing the mineral crystal morphology of active speleothem (AS) according to modern cave monitoring data. In this study, in order to collect active speleothem and drip water samples during 2017-2018, glass plates were placed under 3 drip water sites (MP2, MP5, MP9) in Furong Cave located in Wulong District, Chongqing. The mineral crystal morphology of AS was identified by polarizing microscope. Systematic monitoring was performed on Mg/Ca ratios, pH, the discharge of drip water, the cave environment, as well as δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C and Mg/Ca ratios of the active speleothem deposited on the front and back sides of glass plates. The results suggest that, (1) The mineral crystal morphology of active speleothem that deposit on both sides of glass plates at MP2 is calcite. There are calcite and aragonite-calcite mixture on the front side of glass plates at MP5 and MP9. However, aragonite-calcite crystals deposit on the back side of the glass plates, and there are more aragonites than those on the front sides. (2) The Mg/Ca ratios of drip water collected from MP2 is less than the ratios from MP5 and MP9, which indicates that the Mg/Ca ratio of drip water is an important factor affecting the mineral morphology of active speleothem. And the effect of pH values of drip water on AS mineral crystal morphology is different at different drip sites. (3) Regardless of the front or back side of glass plates, the δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C of AS mixed with aragonite-calcite are more positive than the calcite-dominated AS, which suggests that changes in the AS mineral morphology will lead to changes in δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C. The systematic monitoring and analysis in Furong Cave show that the mineral form of AS is closely related to the surface environment and the karst hydrogeological conditions in the upper part of the cave, and it has been verified that the mineral form of AS in caves has important influence on the δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C of stalagmites.
- drip water /
- active speleothem /
- calcite /
- aragonite /
- Mg/Ca

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References

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