How travertine veins grow from top to bottom and lift the rocks above them: The effect of crystallization force

Research Article| November 01, 2012 How travertine veins grow from top to bottom and lift the rocks above them: The effect of crystallization force Jean-Pierre Gratier; Jean-Pierre Gratier 1ISTerre, University Grenoble 1 & CNRS, BP 53, Grenoble 38041, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Emanuelle Frery; Emanuelle Frery 1ISTerre, University Grenoble 1 & CNRS, BP 53, Grenoble 38041, France5IFP Énergies nouvelles, Rueil-Malmaison, 92852, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Pierre Deschamps; Pierre Deschamps 2Aix-Marseille Université, CEREGE, UMR 6635, 13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 4, France3IRD, CEREGE, UMR 161, 13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 4, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Anja Røyne; Anja Røyne 4Physics of Geological Processes, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar François Renard; François Renard 1ISTerre, University Grenoble 1 & CNRS, BP 53, Grenoble 38041, France4Physics of Geological Processes, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Dag Dysthe; Dag Dysthe 4Physics of Geological Processes, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Nadine Ellouz-Zimmerman; Nadine Ellouz-Zimmerman 5IFP Énergies nouvelles, Rueil-Malmaison, 92852, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Bruno Hamelin Bruno Hamelin 2Aix-Marseille Université, CEREGE, UMR 6635, 13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 4, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2012) 40 (11): 1015–1018. https://doi.org/10.1130/G33286.1 Article history received: 10 Feb 2012 rev-recd: 30 Apr 2012 accepted: 07 May 2012 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Jean-Pierre Gratier, Emanuelle Frery, Pierre Deschamps, Anja Røyne, François Renard, Dag Dysthe, Nadine Ellouz-Zimmerman, Bruno Hamelin; How travertine veins grow from top to bottom and lift the rocks above them: The effect of crystallization force. Geology 2012;; 40 (11): 1015–1018. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G33286.1 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 Travertine mounds form at the mouth of springs where CO2 degassing drives carbonate precipitation from water flowing from depth. Building of such mounds commonly involves the successive "stratigraphic" deposition of carbonate layers that precipitate from waters rising from depth along vertical to horizontal open fissures that are episodically sealed by radiating crystals. Much more intriguing structures can also be observed, such as widespread horizontal white veins of carbonate with vertical aragonite fibers, parallel or oblique to the "stratigraphic" travertines, which extend laterally over distances of several tens of meters and could represent up to 50% of the total volume of the travertine mound. Using highly precise U-Th dating, the growth direction of these horizontal veins is shown to be from top to bottom, and this fact clearly indicates that they developed within the mound over a period of ∼1000 yr for the vein analyzed. A vein growth mechanism is proposed that is able to uplift the rock above the vein thanks to the force of crystallization. The possible development of such structures in other places and the consequences of reverse growth direction when interpreting travertine data are discussed. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.