Veress Márton: A Bakony természettudományi kutatásának eredményei 23. - Covered karst evolution... (Zirc, 2000)

KARSTIFICATION

more so at scarps or summit levels of uplifted blocks). The water-courses in superimposed valleys do not drain but feed now and have fed the main karst water. Superimposed valleys could only tap karst water storeys as observed in many places including the Mester Hajag, where water from a karst water storey issues in several places in the side of the Szekrényeskő-árok. The karst springs fed by karst water storeys, however, are of too low yield to produce spring caves. - The caves of the Ördög-árok developed by the solution activity of water flowing parallel to dip, ie. from the direction of the present entrances. It is only possible if the enclosing rock mass, the place of origin of karst water, have been removed by now. - Caves with a completely dead end are typical of the mountains (Fig. 31). It is impossible in the case of a spring cave but possible in a cave remnant formed through the exposure of a cavity. - Ruins of spherical cauldrons are common on rock walls, particularly on valley sides (Picts. 36, 37, 38). The presence of spherical cauldrons indicates that previously numerous cavities had existed which were subsequently destroyed and rock-walls were produced on which (now mostly ruined) spherical cauldrons of mixing corrosion origin are preserved. The distinction between corrosional spring caves and cave remnants is not always easy to make. On the one hand, the lengths of cave remnants may even exceed those of spring caves and, on the other, losing parts of their ceiling, the latter may be dissected into ruined features. In order to distinguish between the two types of cave, the following properties (Fig. 34) have to be looked for. (When describing spring caves, the results of JAKUCS 1971 are used and for cave remnants VERESS 1980 is relied upon.) - Spring caves occur at heads of superimposed valleys or along margins of karst plateaus (rarely in sides of superimposed valleys), while valley cave remnants are found in the sides of superimposed valleys. - In the foreground of spring caves mostly travertine occurs, while in the case of cave remnant foregrounds, where no karst water issues over a longer period of time, travertines are absent. - The fills of spring caves are composed of weathering residues, while in cave remnants weathering residues (if it develops at all) may be overlain by fluvial and other redeposited sediments. Spring caves are larger formations which occur at several levels and in isolation. Cave remnants are shorter (of some metres' length). The valley cave remnants occur in a hanging position (because of incision) at variable height (Fig. 35) since a number of cavities could form in the zone of flowing karst water (Pict. 39). In fact, the various valley cave remnants are grouped at some specific levels and this indicates that their solution was due to a prolonged stage of karst water. The deviation between the mentioned levels, however, could be rather remarkable and explained by the formation of cavities at various depths parallelly at a given stage of the karst water. The cave remnants of plateaus are in summit positions but those on plateau margins may show a variety of altitude. - Spring caves mostly have only one entrance and the passage from the entrance may branch repeatedly. Cave remnants often have several entrances as the exposure (and destruction) of cavities often takes place in sites where they branch. - The enclosing rocks above spring caves are rather thick and thus dissection into ruined caves hardly takes place. Above the cave remnants, however, thin enclosing rock is found and the ceiling may cave in often and in several places. (Thus, ruined caves without ceiling, gateways and arches develop.) Remnants of solution features (ruins of spherical cauldrons or chimneys) are common on rock walls.