Stalagmites. How are karst caves formed? Stalactites and stalagmites, other stone formations The highest stalagmite

Why do caves appear

The earth's surface has a structure that is complex in composition and configuration. At one time, when the formation of land and oceans took place, various minerals were also formed. For example, basalt appeared at high temperature and pressure as a result of volcanic activity. Granite also arose under the same conditions. But limestone, marble, chalk, gypsum and salt, which can be stalactites and stalagmites, were formed by a different mechanism, under less extreme circumstances. All of them dissolve in water - this is their distinctive property. When water washes these elements out of the composition of rocks, voids appear inside. They are called caves.

Empty space inside any body is karst. In accordance with this term, most of them began to be called karst. known to people caves. I must say that caves can also be formed as a result of other processes occurring in the earth's crust, but this is a topic for a separate discussion. It is important to emphasize that stalactites and stalagmites appear precisely in karst formations. In these voids, natural processes do not stop even for a moment, although they continue for many millions of years. Scientists have calculated that stalactites and stalagmites grow by about 1 cm in 100 years.

According to experts, the largest karst cave on the planet is located in the United States. Kentucky is famous for its Mammoth Caves, whose stalactites and stalagmites attract both tourists and scientists. These caves communicate with each other. The total length of underground halls and passages is 560 kilometers. On the island of Crete there are almost one and a half thousand caves. The most interesting of them is Sfedoni. Its age is estimated from seven to fifteen million years. It has modest dimensions, only 145 meters. However, its interior (so to speak) is remarkable for its amazing proportions and beauty. It looks like it was made by human hands.

At first, acquaintance with the caves, some people have a question about how stalactites and stalagmites differ? Speaking in everyday language, stalactites are "icicles" that hang from the ceiling. Water seeps through soil and rock, eroding along the way those minerals that dissolve in it. Getting into the cave room, water evaporates, and minerals remain in the dry residue. The icicle gradually grows and increases in size. In the case when the mineral solution is formed weakly saturated, its drops fall from a height and reach the floor. In this place, an "icicle" is also formed, only with the tip up. This is a stalagmite.

Experts and lovers of underground routes do not get tired of being surprised by the variety of caves on the planet. It would seem that everything has already been studied and explained. However, new facts make us return to the same questions again and again. It is well known that stalactites and stalagmites are formed as a result of the evaporation of moisture that penetrates from the outside. However, recent studies have shown that this is not always the case. From what has been said, it follows that the caves have not yet revealed all their secrets. Curious and energetic researchers have yet to break their heads over their solution.

STALACTITES AND STALAGMITES.

In caves, stalactites are very often found - "icicles" of various sizes hanging from the ceiling, and stalagmites - "icicles" growing from the floor of the cave.

Word " stalactite"translated from Greek means" dripping drop by drop ". The fact is that even the highest stone mountains on Earth are not a solid monolith - they have microcracks through which water seeps from the surface of the mountain into the caves. But water enters the caves through the thickness is very slow - literally rare drops.These droplets of water are slightly washed out of the rock calcium - this is how stalactites are obtained.

Dripping on the floor of the cave, the water brings with it calcium crystals, which begin to fold into a "hill" - stalagmite. Stalagmites are usually thicker than stalactites, because the water splashes when falling and the crystals crumble.

Both stalactites and stalagmites grow very slowly - hundreds and thousands of years. If the cave is not very high, then the stalagmites and stalactites coalesce over time.

On the polished section of the stalagmite, growth rings are clearly visible.

By the way, there is a very simple method of how to remember what to call a stalactite and what a stalagmite - in the word "stalag m it "is the letter M, as in the word" ze m la". So, a stalagmite is something that grows on the ground!

The longest, free-hanging stalactite is considered to be a huge stone icicle in Gruga do Janelao, Brazil, 12 meters long, and the record holder among stalagmites has a height of 32 meters. It is located in the Krasnogorska cave near Roznava, Slovakia.

We have a huge number of caves in Russia where you can see this miracle of nature. If you have the opportunity to visit the caves with a tour - be sure to go - we guarantee impressions of a lifetime!

Greek, from stalagma, liquid that has penetrated drop by drop. Lime incrustation at the bottom of the cave has the shape of a cone with its apex up. Explanation of 25,000 foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language, with the meaning of their roots. Michelson ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

stalagmite- a, m. stalagmite f. gr. stalagma drop, jet. A calcareous outgrowth at the bottom of underground voids (caves, galleries, etc.), formed by drops of water containing calcium bicarbonate falling from the ceiling. ALS 1. Droppers having an addition ... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

Torchun, riser, icicle on the contrary, drip, outgrowth, outgrowth Dictionary of Russian synonyms. stalagmite n., number of synonyms: 5 drip (7) ... Synonym dictionary

STALAGMITE, a sintered mineral formation consisting of CALCIUM CARBONATE crystals, rising in the form of an icicle or pillar from the bottom of CAVES in carbon-rich limestone areas. Stalagmites are formed by water dripping from the ceiling of a cave and... ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

STALAGMITE, stalagmite, husband. (from the Greek. stalagma drop) (miner.). A calcareous build-up on the floor of a cave formed by seeping drops of lime-laden water. Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

STALAGMITE, a, husband. A calcareous outgrowth rising upwards at the bottom of the cave, formed by drops falling from the ceiling and shaped like a standing icicle. | adj. stalagmite, oh, oh. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

Husband, lat. limestone incrustation, hardening, forming various patterns in the caves. Stalactite husband. lime drip, overhanging, for example. in caves, icicles from above. new, related to one or another Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dal. 1863… … Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

Miner. a sinter formation (usually calcareous) that occurs at the bottom of caves during the evaporation of mineralized water dripping from above and grows from bottom to top. Geological dictionary: in 2 volumes. M.: Nedra. Edited by K. N. Paffengolts et al. 1978 ... Geological Encyclopedia

stalagmite- Spill formation in the form of a cone or pillar, rising from the bottom of a karst cave, arising from the constant supply of carbonate in the form of calcite from seeping groundwater falling down from the stalactite. → Fig. 310 ... Geography Dictionary

M. Sintered limestone formation in the form of large icicles at the bottom of underground voids (caves, galleries, etc.), formed by drops of water saturated with calcium and carbon dioxide falling from the ceiling. Explanatory Dictionary of Ephraim. T. F. Efremova. 2000... Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language Efremova

From the surface of the earth, water seeps into the earth's interior. And where soluble rocks lie in them - limestone, chalk, gypsum - there gradually water and time create an underground miracle - a cave.

Caves are different. Huge, stretching underground for many kilometers, and small. Ice and no ice. With underground lakes and rivers that you can sail on a boat, and without them...

Caves are no joke. In no case should you go there without an experienced escort. There is nothing to get lost and lost forever.

And yet, researchers, tourists and just curious people often visit the caves. Once in the cave hall, a person experiences surprise and admiration. Stone icicles - stalactites - hang from majestic vaults. Some of them are very small, others are large and very old. Gray, snow-white, white-pink, these stone icicles are a real decoration of the cave.

Water is constantly running down them. And various substances are dissolved in it. At the very end of the icicle is a drop of water

delayed. The time that a droplet spends on the tip of a stalactite is enough for some of these substances to remain on its hard edge. So, very slowly, for many centuries, a stalactite grows.

The drop breaks off and falls down. And there, from the floor of the cave, a stalagmite, a stone tower, grows towards the stalactite. Many years will pass, they will meet and grow together, forming a column.

AT mysterious world caves you can see absolutely amazing stalagmites. In one of the caves there is a stalagmite "Candlestick". This snow-white stone marvel is really very reminiscent of a candlestick.

In addition to stalactites, stalagmites, columns, there are lush stone curtains, stone flowers and other amazing formations in the caves. All of them are creations of tireless water...

When you are in a cave and admire it, it is especially unpleasant to suddenly find a can of soda water, a candy wrapper or something else like that. You involuntarily think with annoyance: oh, even here people have already been here who do not respect nature, do not appreciate its mysterious, unique beauty.

Yes, there are different people in the caves, and not only those who value earthly stone beauty. Among them, to the greatest regret, there are those who do not have to break off the stalactite and destroy the stalagmite. Or make some kind of inscription on the wall of the cave. Or leave trash here.

Sometimes people even build a fire in the cave. For the cave, this is harmful, because the temperature regime that has developed here for centuries is violated. For the unfortunate tourists themselves, this can end tragically: they can suffocate and die in the smoke.

Caves - "underground palaces", are created by nature over many millennia, and it is possible to break, spoil the underground wonder in a matter of minutes.

Therefore, no one, ever and nowhere, can break stalactites, stalagmites and other natural “decorations” in caves. You can not make any inscriptions, burn fires and throw garbage. It is necessary to respect the caves, these unique creations of nature, to respect and protect.

If you ever find yourself in a cave, then try not to forget about it.

AND THE STONE WORTH RESPECT

On a school trip, the mischievous Lyosha began to bring down the edge of a small cliff with his foot. In this place, layers of clay and sand were visible. Once local hills were formed from them. The cliff was with a small overhanging ledge-cornice. That's what the boy was trying to bring down.

He did not think that he himself could fall. And he didn’t think at all that the cliff and its cornice were beautiful in their own way and that this simple beauty should also be protected. The boy did not even think about the fact that there might be someone's minks on a steep slope, for example, shore swallows or some insects, and that these minks would be destroyed. Fortunately, Lyosha did not have time to do anything wrong - the teacher stopped him. But after all, a teacher is not always next to the guys ...

What makes up the beauty of our planet? Flowers and trees, birds and butterflies, seas and rivers - this is only part of its beauty. Everything that nature has created is beautiful in its own way. And this little break too. And here is the stone-boulder that lies nearby.

Imagine that we have come to such a boulder. It may be the size of a soccer ball, or it may be larger than an adult. A smooth, rounded stone warmed up on the sunny side, and cool on the shady side. How nice to put your hands on it. Looking at this mighty stone, touching it, you feel some kind of majestic, exciting wisdom of the ages. Well, that's the way it should be. After all, a boulder lying quietly somewhere in a forest or on a river bank is not just a stone. He is peculiar natural monument left behind by a very long time ago.