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Anomalous drip in the Punkva caves (Moravian Karst): relevant implications for paleoclimatic proxies
Author(s) -
Pracný Pavel,
Faimon Jiří,
Sracek Ondra,
Kabelka Ludvík,
Hebelka Jiří
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.10731
Subject(s) - karst , cave , calcite , geology , mineralization (soil science) , speleothem , precipitation , geochemistry , mineralogy , geomorphology , soil science , paleontology , soil water , archaeology , geography , meteorology
The anomalous drip in the Punkva caves (Moravian Karst) shows specific hydrogeochemical properties such as low SI calcite ~ 0.14 ± 0.11 (standard deviation), low mineralization (4.53 ± 0.42) × 10 −3 mol l −1 , and enhanced values of δ 13 C (−7.85 to −8.35‰ VPDB), Mg/Ca × 1000 ratio (45.7 ± 3.3), and Sr/Ca × 1000 ratio (0.65 ± 0.06). By these properties, the anomalous drip significantly differs from other regular drips in the same cave and other caves in the region. The study suggests that the anomalous drip properties are a consequence of prior calcite precipitation or/and water mixing along the water flow path. As the former processes are spatially controlled, the knowledge of dripwater flow path seems to be necessary for correct paleoclimatic/paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.