Research Article| November 01, 1985 Origin of caves and other solution openings in the unsaturated (vadose) zone of carbonate rocks: A model for CO2 generation Warren W. Wood Warren W. Wood 1U.S. Geological Survey, 431 National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Warren W. Wood 1U.S. Geological Survey, 431 National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1985) 13 (11): 822–824. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1985)13<822:OOCAOS>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Warren W. Wood; Origin of caves and other solution openings in the unsaturated (vadose) zone of carbonate rocks: A model for CO2 generation. Geology 1985;; 13 (11): 822–824. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1985)13<822:OOCAOS>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The enigma that caves and other solution openings form in carbonate rocks at great depths below land surface rather than forming from the surface downward can be explained by the generation of CO2 within the aquifer system. In the proposed model, CO2 is generated by the oxidation of particulate and/or dissolved organic carbon that is transported from the land surface deep into the unsaturated zone by recharging ground water. The organic material is oxidized to CO2 by aerobic bacteria utilizing oxygen that diffuses in from the atmosphere. Because gas transport in the unsaturated zone is controlled largely by diffusion, steady-state generation of even minute amounts of CO2 deep in the unsaturated zone results in the creation of large concentrations of CO2 at depth as it establishes a concentration gradient to the surface or other sink. Ground water descending into these areas of high CO2 concentration becomes thermodynamically subsaturated with respect to carbonate minerals and is able to dissolve them, thus forming the observed solution opening at depth. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.
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Warren W. Wood (1985) studied this question.