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Effect of soil-rock system on speleothems weathering in Bailong Cave, Yunnan Province, China

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Abstract

Bailong Cave with its well-developed Middle Triassic calcareous dolomite’s system was opened as a show cave for visitors in 1988. The speleothem scenery has been strongly weathered as white powder on the outer layers. Study of the cave winds, permeability of soil-rock system and the chemical compositions of the dripping water indicated: (1) The cave dimension structure distinctively affects the cave winds, which were stronger at narrow places. (2) Based on the different soil grain size distribution, clay was the highest in composition in the soil. The response sense of dripping water to the rainwater percolation was slow. The density of joints and other openings in dolomite make the dolomite as mesh seepage body forming piles of thin and high columns and stalactites. (3) Study of 9 dripping water samples by HYDROWIN computer program showed that the major mineral in the water was dolomite.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China

    Jing Wang & Lin-hua Song

  2. Institute of Tourism, Beijing Union University, 100101, Beijing, China

    Jing Wang

Authors
  1. Jing Wang
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  2. Lin-hua Song
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jing Wang.

Additional information

Project (Nos. 90202017 & 40071017) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China

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Wang, J., Song, Lh. Effect of soil-rock system on speleothems weathering in Bailong Cave, Yunnan Province, China. J Zheijang Univ Sci B 6, 202–207 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2005.B0202

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2005.B0202

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