6533b833fe1ef96bd129c273

RESEARCH PRODUCT

The Coastal Sulfuric Acid Cave System of Santa Cesarea Terme (Southern Italy)

Mario PariseMarco VattanoJo De WaeleIlenia M. D’angeli

subject

geographygeography.geographical_feature_categoryGypsum010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciencesSettore GEO/04 - Geografia Fisica E GeomorfologiaThermal water Spa Speleogenesis Hypogenic caveGeochemistrychemistry.chemical_elementSulfuric acidengineering.material010502 geochemistry & geophysicsThermal water Spa Speleogenesis Hypogenic cave01 natural sciencesSulfurchemistry.chemical_compoundInfiltration (hydrology)chemistryCaveSalt waterengineeringSpeleogenesisPhysical geography0105 earth and related environmental sciences

description

Santa Cesarea Terme in Salento is the only area in which hypogenic caves have been recognized in the Apulia region. In this spa area, the rising of sulfidic thermal waters that mix with both recent fresh infiltration waters and coastal salt water has formed four active sulfuric acid speleogenesis (SAS) caves. These caves are characterized by the typical set of sulfuric acid meso- and micromorphologies, and also by the presence of both gypsum and native sulfur. In all caves, biofilms are visible in the sulfidic thermal waters and on the cave walls.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2017-01-01
10.1007/978-3-319-53348-3_9http://hdl.handle.net/11585/606922