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Hypogenic Caves in Provence (France): Specific Features and Sediments

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Hypogenic Caves in Provence (France): Specific Features and Sediments Speleogenesis and Evolution of Karst Aquifers The Virtual Scientific Journal www.speleogenesis.info Hypogenic caves in Provence (France): Specific features and sediments Ph. Audra (1), J.-Y. Bigot (2) and L. Mocochain (3) (1)* Équipe Gestion et valorisation de l'environnement (GVE), UMR 6012 “ESPACE” du CNRS, Nice Sophia-Antipolis University, 98 boulevard Édouard Herriot, BP 209, FRANCE - 06204 NICE Cédex. E-mail: [email protected] (2) French caving federation. E-mail: [email protected] (3) Provence University, France. E-mail: [email protected] * Corresponding author Re-published by permission from: Acta Carsologica vol. 31, n.3, p.33-50. Abstract Two dry caves from French Provence (Adaouste and Champignons caves) were until now considered as “normal” caves, evolved under meteoric water flow conditions. A new approach gives evidence of a hypogenic origin from deep water uprising under artesian conditions. Specific morphologies and sediments associated with this hydrology are discussed. Keywords: hypogenic karst, hydrothermalism, subaqueous calcite deposits, condensation corrosion 1. Introduction Adaouste and Champignons caves are located in Provence, in strongly folded Jurassic limestone (Fig. 1). Most explored cave systems have evolved under The first opens at the top of Mirabeau cluse where the seeping meteoric water carrying biogenic CO2 under Durance River crosses it; the second is in the scarp of the gravity flow, torrential type in the vadose zone or under famous Sainte-Victoire Mountain. hydraulic charge in the phreatic zone (Ford and William, In the two caves, most of the morphological and 1988). Except for pseudokarsts resulting in processes sedimentary features related to classic gravific origin are other than solution, few minorities of cave systems find totally absent: their origin in artesian and hydrothermal settings. Other factors of aggressiveness can be substituted to biogenic • Rapid current flow features (scallops, potholes, vadose entrenchments...) CO2, like endogenous CO2 linked to magmatic degassing, or H2SO4 stemming from sulphide oxidation of evaporites • Superficial or allogenic sediments dragged in or hydrocarbon at depth. These are known as hypogenic depth by diffuse or concentrated recharge (clays from soil caves. Hypogenic karst results from a source of erosion, fluvial sands and pebbles, etc.) aggressiveness produced at depth (CO2 or H2S) and is linked to confined or rising flow, without the direct In addition, general organisation of cave pattern, influence of surface recharge. It corresponds convergent to outflow point, does not match the common approximately to artesian flow, where hydrothermalism is unconfined origin. a variant (Klimchouk, 2000; Palmer, 2000). The sources of aggressiveness, although well localised, produce an enhanced solution resulting sometimes in enormous voids. Corrosion and sedimentation gravific cave forms are in general well known from long term studies throughout the world (White, 2000). Hypogenic caves can go unnoticed if they are misleadingly attributed to a classic formation process, particularly in France where these phenomena are rare. The two examples shown here highlight sedimentation and corrosion forms, which do not result from gravific seeping (Forti, 1997; Dublyansky, 1997, 2000). Ph.Audra, J.-Y.Bigot and L. Mocochain / Speleogenesis and Evolution of Karst Aquifers, 1(1) January 2003, p.2 Fig. 1. Adaouste and Champignons cave locations Ph.Audra, J.-Y.Bigot and L. Mocochain / Speleogenesis and Evolution of Karst Aquifers, 1(1) January 2003, p.3 2. Champignons cave 2.1. Topographic and structural context Champignons cave opens in the middle of the Sainte-Victoire mountain scarp, close to a gully, above Saint-Ser hermitage. The scarp corresponds to a truncated, thrusted anticline inverted limb (Corroy, 1957; Chorowicz and Ruiz, 1984). In this area the vertical dip at the cave base is found side by side with the sub-horizontal dip above. Fig. 2. Champignons cave, in the Sainte-Victoire Mountain overthrusting overturned fold (Corroy, 1957). Fig. 3. Champignons cave survey. The crust is founded as a mammalies coating, a 2.2. Cave pattern organisation white microcrystalline popcorn, a nailhead spar or A short tube-like pipe emerges in a vast, 60-m as dogteeth (Fig. 4). These deposits were formed in wide circular chamber, with a rounded roof. The sluggish hydrodynamic conditions in water ground is cluttered with big blocks, flowstone oversaturated with calcite (Dublyansky, 1997, 2000; domes and a lateral alluvial cone comprised of Hill and Forti, 1997). gelifracts (Fig. 3). This feature comes from a Solution induced by degassing of the uprising torrential sinkhole next to a gully sink, which recharge. The following forms result unquestionably operated in a periglacial context. Except for these from the presence of ascending gas in a phreatic relatively recent gelifracts, the cavity and its flow: sediments are relatively old. Moreover, there are • Ceiling half-tubes have developed in the phreatic three boundary rifts on the chamber side, going zone close to the water table as gas bubbles diffuse from down about twenty meters between wall and blocks. the solution (like when opening a Champagne bottle), and They have a tendency to get smaller at the bottom. run along the overhanging walls to reach the water table. The process of corrosion is induced by condensation 2.3. Recharge upwelling from rifts. An intense but which occurs continuously at the interface between the localised solution bubbles and the wall; these channels are referred as “bubble trails” (Chiesi and Forti, 1987). The rifts that open along the chamber perimeter do not correspond under any circumstances to the • A generalised subaqueous spar coating formed from CO diffusion from oversaturated water; these do runoff sink points that scoured the room. Their 2 not occur on overhangs along bubble trails where solution overhanging wall is notched by a few decimetre is predominant. wide hemispherical channel aligned with the steepest slope (Fig. 14). Softly cemented angular These rifts are thus produced by the juxtaposition blocks make up the chamber talus (filling like of degassing solution phenomena and oversaturated breccia) occupying the entire surface. Along the water deposition. This simultaneity of solution / rifts, white limestone blocks, set in red cement, are deposition phenomena in the same basin accounts rounded and corroded by small verticals tubes that for the proximity of both corrosion forms (bubble sometime intersect breccia. trails) and deposition forms (calcite coating). The A generalised subaqueous calcite coating. Except transition is made over a distance of few centimetres for the localised corrosion zones, all of the rift walls at the edge of the channel. This combination are covered with an extremely pure 10-cm thick constitutes an infallible identification criterion for calcite crust. identifying upwelling in a karst environment. Ph.Audra, J.-Y.Bigot and L. Mocochain / Speleogenesis and Evolution of Karst Aquifers, 1(1) January 2003, p.4 Fig. 4. Mammalies calcite coating on rifts walls. Fig. 5. Mammalies calcite coating and popcorns occurring on the lower part of the chamber, stalactites with basal truncation. An attentive examination makes it possible to easily • The upper part of the walls and the ceiling cupola differentiate these key-forms from secondary present a naked and corroded rock with vast round forms and softened contours. corrosion phenomena of flowstones that are frequently observed and which are explained by • The large central calcite dome (Fig. 2) presents chemical changes of seeping water, involving two both a rough surface and softened forms different from successive and not simultaneous hydrochemical usual flowstones, and it overlies a scree accumulation states. made of angular blocks. Some stalagmites also have an unusual mushroom shape that accounts for the name of the cave. 2.4. Oversize room genesis In comparison with the reduced size of the supply The presence of subaqueous concretions (coatings channels, the Champignons cave chamber appears and dogteeth) in the lower part of the chamber oversized. Its study is not completed, but the suggests that a lake once occupied it (Fig. 6). The following observations allow estimation of its existence of stalactites with horizontal truncation origin: and the absence of quiet watermark indicate that the level of the water table must have varied. Degassing • In the low part of the chamber a calcite coating from deep water in the closed system has charged occurs; it is of comparable nature to that of the cracks the atmosphere with carbon dioxide. The (Fig. 5), with stalagmites made up of dogteeth. atmosphere in contact with the water table had to be • Some massive stalactites do not have a sharp relatively hot to cause condensation in contact with apex, but a horizontal truncation localised at various the colder walls. Combined with the CO2 rich levels (Fig. 5). After examination, a break origin due to atmosphere, condensation was aggressive and human activity is excluded. corroded the emerged walls and ceiling. In the same Ph.Audra, J.-Y.Bigot and L. Mocochain / Speleogenesis and Evolution of Karst Aquifers, 1(1) January 2003, p.5 Fig. 6. Champignons cave hydrodynamic way as in an aquatic environment, air convection millstones. Champignons cave, located at middle currents must have occur, explaining regular cupola height of the chain, marks undoubtedly an form of the ceiling in which more reduced size
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