The island of Sardinia has some of the most extensive cave systems in Italy, such as Codula Ilune (over 42 km), Bue Marino cave (over 17 km) and several others. Many caves seem to have developed over a long time span, and probably started forming during the Tertiary. A minimum age of these cave systems could previously be obtained indirectly because in certain areas Pliocene basalts sometimes fill karst conduits. To attempt to date some of the oldest cave branches quartz sediments were carefully mapped and nine samples for cosmogenic nuclide burial dating with 26Al and 10Be were taken in the summer of 2005 in two karst areas in Central-East Sardinia. The cosmogenic results indicate that all of the cave levels have similar ages, and are probably of Upper Pliocene age or maybe older.
The age of cave systems in Central-East Sardinia: preliminary data / De Waele J.; Granger D.E.. - STAMPA. - 2:(2009), pp. 838-842. (Intervento presentato al convegno 15th International Congress of Speleology tenutosi a Kerrville, Texas nel 19-26 July 2009).
The age of cave systems in Central-East Sardinia: preliminary data.
DE WAELE, JO HILAIRE AGNES;
2009
Abstract
The island of Sardinia has some of the most extensive cave systems in Italy, such as Codula Ilune (over 42 km), Bue Marino cave (over 17 km) and several others. Many caves seem to have developed over a long time span, and probably started forming during the Tertiary. A minimum age of these cave systems could previously be obtained indirectly because in certain areas Pliocene basalts sometimes fill karst conduits. To attempt to date some of the oldest cave branches quartz sediments were carefully mapped and nine samples for cosmogenic nuclide burial dating with 26Al and 10Be were taken in the summer of 2005 in two karst areas in Central-East Sardinia. The cosmogenic results indicate that all of the cave levels have similar ages, and are probably of Upper Pliocene age or maybe older.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
