helictites are contorted depositional speleothems wich grow in many directions. Their twisted shapes seems to be due to many factors,like -for instance- impurities in deposited calcite. Plugging of the central channel may occur in dry periods, and when flow resumes, the pressure may force a new channel out the side of the original one.
(Grotta del Bue Marino, -partial show cave- Sardinia.)
Comments
[ Post a Comment ]| Eric Sandbo | Bizarre! | | 
Voted 10/10 | Thanks for this and your other cave pictures. They're beautiful and whimsical. And thanks for the descriptions and explanations. | | Posted Mar 24, 2007 6:46 am |
 | | banzai.barbara | Re: Bizarre! | | 
Hasn't voted | Thank You, Eric
I'm glad you liked them. Thanks also for improving my english: didn't know the word "whimsical" ;-)
Take care of your foot and have a good time wherever you go. - I saw your pics, by the way...what beautiful places you've seen!!
cheers. | | Posted Mar 24, 2007 12:35 pm |
| Jack B | It's art! | | 
Voted 10/10 | Nature's art. Amazing. | | Posted May 15, 2007 6:53 pm |
| | banzai.barbara | Re: It's art! | |
Hasn't voted | you're so right...nature's the greatest artist with its colors and shapes. It's art indeed.
:) | | Posted May 16, 2007 4:44 am |
| mtybumpo | Weird! | | 
Voted 10/10 | I've been in a few caves but I've never seen anything this crazy! Great Pic! | | Posted May 21, 2007 10:24 pm |
| | banzai.barbara | Re: Weird! | |
Hasn't voted | thanks!
I don't wanna be boring explaining in details but calcite speleothem's growth, including helictites, is due to many factors including water/cave temperature. I assume the caves you visited were too cold. To give you an idea, sardinian caves' average temperature variates between 8-16 C°. Helictites are pretty common here, in the warmer ones. (from 12/13 C° on)
I assume the caves you visited were too cold, so, or may had a non-limestone karst genesis. (like lava tubes,for instance, which are totally different) | | Posted May 22, 2007 11:02 am |
| | mtybumpo | Re: Weird! | |
Voted 10/10 | Yeah your probably right. They were pretty cold. Don't worry about being boring cause what you said was very interesting. Thanks for the great picture and the info! | | Posted May 22, 2007 5:05 pm |
| Dan Dalton | This is amazing... | | 
Voted 10/10 | could you please attach it to the rocks, minerals, and fossils alubum? Thanks!
Dan | | Posted Jun 8, 2007 1:42 pm |
| | banzai.barbara | Re: This is amazing... | |
Hasn't voted | here you are...both aragonite and helictite in your smart album. It's my pleasure being part of it ...it looks we have the same passion for rocks/minerals/fossils...not the same ability in sport climbing, though: you're soooo much bettere than me ;-)
cheers.
b. | | Posted Jun 8, 2007 3:05 pm |
| | Dan Dalton | Re: This is amazing... | |
Voted 10/10 | Thanks again for the contributions, they are really awesome shots. I think it is always important to know the history of the rock that you are exploring, it adds that much more to the adventure. Great shots, I look forward to seeing more of you doing some sport!!
Dan | | Posted Jun 11, 2007 12:27 pm |
| markmay | What a Wild Thing | | 
Voted 10/10 | How big are speleothems like this and how long do they take to form? I wonder if anything like this exists in the U.S.
| | Posted Sep 22, 2007 10:31 pm |
| Mark Straub | Very strange! | | 
Voted 10/10 | Great picture! I am so glad to have seen your account. I have already learned many things about caves that I have never imagined!
-Mark | | Posted Jan 17, 2008 5:54 pm |
| | banzai.barbara | Re: Very strange! | |
Hasn't voted | again shown that you're too kind..
I'm glad you find caves and speleothems interesting. Check this website out, I think it's pretty cool and has some great cave pictures too.
http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/virtcave/ | | Posted Jan 21, 2008 1:31 pm |
| | Mark Straub | Re: Very strange! | |
Voted 10/10 | Thanks for the website! I would like to go caving eventually, but first I would have to find a cave.
-Mark | | Posted Jan 22, 2008 9:09 am |
| ChristianRodriguez | AWESOME!! | | 
Hasn't voted | am I dreaming or what? your pictures are a fantastic dream. thanks for sharing your images and all you knowledge about it. | | Posted Oct 25, 2008 3:26 am |
| | banzai.barbara | Re: AWESOME!! | |
Hasn't voted | Thank you :)
b. | | Posted Oct 27, 2008 4:03 am |
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