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Speleothem Genesis in Ohio Caverns: How Erosion of Overlying Strata Resulted in Different Speleothem Characteristics

Codispoti, Julie E.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1299678130

Abstract Details

2011, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Geological Sciences.
Ohio Caverns in southern Logan and northern Champaign counties, Ohio, is highly decorated in calcitic speleothems ranging in color from rusty red to white. The cave formed in the Devonian Columbus Limestone and is believed to be more than two million years old, forming before Pleistocene ice advances. Carbon dating of sediment samples in the cave was used to determine if the sediments were deposited in the cave by glacial processes, thus bounding a minimum age of the cave. Some areas of the cave contain a red, rusty colored flowstone that covers the cave walls with a wavy water “sheeting” appearance and does not form the traditional speleothems associated with caves. Other parts of the cave contain white flowstones that have the familiar appearance of speleothems and, in places grow directly from and on the rust colored speleothems indicating a change in mineralization. This change likely occurred from chemical alterations in the overlying strata consisting of the Ohio Shale, the Columbus Limestone, and in the thickness and character of soils prior to and after glaciation. A cave entrance currently being built exposes a cross section of glacial material, Ohio Shale, and Columbus Limestone. Float and in-situ rocks as well as soil material from a fracture and two ceiling rock cores drilled in the Historical Tour path, were collected for XRD analysis to characterize the mineralogy. The results show the samples are predominantly dolomite and only a few of the minerals are iron or manganese bearing. Well log data and visual observation provide clues that the Ohio Shale is still present over top of the cave. Sediment collected from Overlook Hole contained very little carbon and pollen for dating and paleoclimate information. It was the goal of this work to determine if changes in overlying strata caused the color change of speleothems in Ohio Caverns.
Scott Bair, Dr. (Advisor)
Lawrence Krissek, Dr. (Committee Member)
Berry Lyons, Dr. (Committee Member)
303 p.
Geological; Geology
Ohio Caverns

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Codispoti, J. E. (2011). Speleothem Genesis in Ohio Caverns: How Erosion of Overlying Strata Resulted in Different Speleothem Characteristics [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1299678130

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Codispoti, Julie. Speleothem Genesis in Ohio Caverns: How Erosion of Overlying Strata Resulted in Different Speleothem Characteristics. 2011. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1299678130.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Codispoti, Julie. "Speleothem Genesis in Ohio Caverns: How Erosion of Overlying Strata Resulted in Different Speleothem Characteristics." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1299678130

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1299678130
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.