Speleothems in 6 sandstone caves in the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj) were dated by means of 14C and U-series methods. Stable isotopes of C and O, FAAS, IR, XRD, XRF and SEM were used to characterize the carbonate material and its source. Stable isotopes (C and O) composition of speleothems in two caves corresponds to values characteristic for cave speleothems in Central Europe. In other caves they indicate evaporation and fast carbon dioxide escape during carbonate precipitation. The speleothems from the Krtola Cave were deposited between 8 and 13 kyr BP. Speleothems were deposited 5-8 kyr BP in the Sintrová, Mrtvé Údolí and U Studánky caves. Calcite coatings on smooth sandstone surfaces in studied caves demonstrate that cave walls did not retreat even a few mm in the last 5-8 kyr since speleothem deposition and are thus not evolving under recent climatic conditions. Most of the cave ceilings and walls are at present time indurated by hardened surfaces, which protect the sandstone from erosion. Sandstone caves probably intensively evolved either during or at the end of the Last Glacial period. There are two different erosion mechanisms which might have formed/reshaped the caves at that time: A) In the case of permafrost conditions: Repeated freeze/melt cycles affecting sandstone pore space followed by the transport of fallen sand grains by minor temporary trickles. We expect that heat was transmitted by air circulating between the cave and the surface; B) Seepage erosion of sandstone during the melting of permafrost, prior forming of case hardening., Jiří Bruthans, Jana Schweigstillová, Petr Jenč, Zdeňka Churáčková and Petr Bezdička., and Obsahuje bibliografii
a1_Phyllosilicates are classified into the following groups: 1 - Neutral 1:1 structures: the kaolinite and serpentine group. 2 - Neutral 2:1 structures: the pyrophyllite and talc group. 3 - High-charge 2:1 structures, non-expansible in polar liquids: illite and the dioctahedral and trioctahedral micas, also brittle micas. 4 - Low- to medium-charge 2:1 structures, expansible phyllosilicates in polar liquids: smectites and vermiculites. 5 - Neutral 2:1:1 structures: chlorites. 6 - Neutral to weak-char ge ribbon structures, so-called pseudophyllosilicates or hormites: palygorskite and sepiolite (fibrous crystalline clay minerals ). 7 - Amorphous clay minerals. Order-disorder states, polymorphism, polytypism, and inters tratifications of phyllosilicates are influenced by several factors: 1) a chemical micromilieu acting during the crystallization in any environment, including the space of clay pseudomorphs after original rock-forming silicates or volcanic glasses; 2) the accepted thermal energy; 3) the permeability. The composition and properties of parent rocks and minerals in the weathering crusts, the elevation, and topography of source areas and climatic conditions control the in tensity of weathering, erosion, and there sulting assemblage of phyllosilicates to be transported after erosion. The enormously high accumulation of phyllosilicates in the sedimentary lithosphere is primarily conditioned by their high up to extremely high chemical stability in water-rich environments (expressed by index of corrosion, IKO). Clastic material eroded fro m weathering crusts and transported in rivers contains overwhelming amounts of phyllosilicates inherited from original rocks. In geological literature, the newly formed phyllosilicates crystallizing in weathering crusts including soils as dominating global source of argillaceous lutite accumulations in the sedimentary lithosphere have been overestimate for a long time., a2_The dissolution of silicates in different dense rocks under conditions of weathering and the crystallization of newly formed phyllosilicates has been strongly and for long periods influenced by chemical microenvironments within each clay pseudomorph. Coarser fragments of eroded argillaceous rocks and crystals of phyllosilicates from different bedrocks and soils are very sensitive to impacts and pressure from fragments of co-transported harder and denser rocks and minerals in turbulent fluvial and similar currents. This is the most important mechanical phenomenon supporting the enormous accumulation of lutite rocks rich in phyllosilicates in the sedimentary lithosphere. The summarized new observations and interpre tations are stressed in eleven key poin ts. Erosion and water transportation of detrital material are explained in the terms of hydration, softening, swelling, physical disintegration, grinding, milling, abrasion, delamination, dispersi on, and sorting. The deposition of phyllosilicates in different fluid dynamics of streams is expressed by Re and Fr numbers and explained as unflocculated and floccu lated suspensions. Phyllosilicates an d accompanying detrital minerals in recent marine muds covering vast areas of seas and oceans as well as in lacustrine muds correspond with those transpor ted in fluvial suspensions., Jiří Konta., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Weathering and erosion of sandstone landscapes often results in many amazing landforms such as arches, alcoves (rock shelters), pedestal rocks and pillars. Long-term research has produced numerous contrasting ideas for the origin of these landforms. The presence of salt and/or occurrence of freezing water and/or similar potential weathering/erosion processes at site are common causes of these landforms. The effect of gravity loading stress has been overlooked or assumed to increase the landform’s weathering rate. Research at the Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics is based on field observations of locked sands and cemented sandstones and on physical experiments, followed by a numerical modelling. This may be the first time that the landforms cited above were reproduced in laboratory experiments. The Institute interpreted its findings by a novel mechanical model called “the concept of locus of fabric instability.” The results clearly show that an increase in stress within the landform (fabric interlocking) reduces weathering and erosion. Material with insufficient loading is rapidly removed by that weathering process and the remaining load bearing landform structure is protected by the fabric interlocking mechanism. The Institute concludes that its research that planar discontinuities in sandstone and negative feedback between stress and weathering/erosion processes are sufficient conditions to create landforms. and Michal Filippi, Jana Schweigstillová.