Atacama is one of the driest places in the world, with an average annual rainfall exceptionally exceeding 50 mm and normally less than 5 mm. Nevertheless, karst is well developed in highly soluble rock salt that outcrops in a NNE-SSW elongated anticline known as the Cordillera de la Sal. Besides typical surface karst morphologies such as karren and dolines, also extensive cave systems have been explored in the past 10 years. Karst denudation rates have been derived from micro-erosion measurements. A small flash flood has been recorded and its dimension estimated. The morphology of these caves together with geological, hydrological and geomorphological observations allow to draw some preliminary conclusions on the palaeoclimatic and –environmental conditions in which they formed.
Karst phenomena in the Cordillera de la Sal (Atacama, Chile) / De Waele J.; Picotti V.; Zini L.; Cucchi F.; Forti P.. - In: GEOACTA. - ISSN 1721-8039. - STAMPA. - 2:(2009), pp. 113-127.
Karst phenomena in the Cordillera de la Sal (Atacama, Chile)
DE WAELE, JO HILAIRE AGNES;PICOTTI, VINCENZO;FORTI, PAOLO
2009
Abstract
Atacama is one of the driest places in the world, with an average annual rainfall exceptionally exceeding 50 mm and normally less than 5 mm. Nevertheless, karst is well developed in highly soluble rock salt that outcrops in a NNE-SSW elongated anticline known as the Cordillera de la Sal. Besides typical surface karst morphologies such as karren and dolines, also extensive cave systems have been explored in the past 10 years. Karst denudation rates have been derived from micro-erosion measurements. A small flash flood has been recorded and its dimension estimated. The morphology of these caves together with geological, hydrological and geomorphological observations allow to draw some preliminary conclusions on the palaeoclimatic and –environmental conditions in which they formed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
