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Monday, April 15, 2013

21 st International Karstological School: Classical Karst: Hypogene Speleogenesis (Between theory and reality...)

Since 1993, International Karstological Schools have been organised, covering many aspects of karst research. The basic idea of the School has been to present the state of the art in selected topics and promote discussion between participants via set of lectures, poster sessions and related field trips to the area of Slovene Classical karst.

In the last decade, hypogene speleologenetic processes have attracted attention of speleological community. Many previously epigenic caves have been reinterpreted as hypogene. Some basic publications on the topic have triggered doubts and debates because similar cave patterns and wall rock features considered as hypogene can be formed also under other conditions. Therefore, the aim of the 21'st IKS is to present basic hydrogeological and chemical principles and processes of hypogene speleogenesis as well as geological conditions leading to it. Special attention will be paid to the geometry of cave passages and wall rock features which are often interpreted as hypogene, but could have as well formed otherwise, such as in meteoric flood-water conditions or by dissolution in contact with sediment.

Info: http://iks.zrc-sazu.si/en/

The participants will get answers to the following questions:
  • what is the hypogene speleogenesis,
  • which are typical and necessary geological conditions for the hypogene speleogenesis,
  • which physicochemical processes are important for the hypogene speleogenesis
  • which forms are characteristic only for the hypogene speleogenesis
  • how to distinguish hypogenetic and epigenetic caves

The work will include
  • Invited keynote lectures covering wide range of topic
  • selected lectures by other participants
  • poster presentations
  • fieldwork

The topics will cover
  • hypogene speleogenesis (hydrogeology, chemistry, geology and forms)
  • similarities and distinction between hypogenic and epigenic caves
  • hypogene speleogensis in gypsum
  • speogenesis in artesian basins
  • thermal and hydrothermal caves
  • minerals related to hypogene speleogenesis