Maze caves in stripe karst: Examples from Nonshauggrotta, northern Norway

• Main Authors: Rannveig Øvrevik, Stein-erik Lauritzen
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Norway; Stripe; Northern Norway
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.524.5866; http://www.speleo.no/hellas2005/Maze caves in stripe karst_Athen_2005_ref66.pdf

Stripe karst is stratigraphically thin outcrops of karstifiable rocks that intersect the land surface at an angle. Cave systems in stripe karst develop along the interface between the karst rock and non-karstic rock. Caves in stripe karst show the same morphological diversity as caves elsewhere. The morphological nature is a function of how various passage elements are linked together, and how they (once) transported water. Development of maze caves is interesting in the sense that mazes represent zones of extreme porosity. Their development in stripe karst makes them two dimensional and easier to model. We would like to know more about their development: what influences the selection of guiding fractures, their hydrological function and if it is possible to predict passage geometry and trend from fractures and foliation on the surface. As an example results from a thorough investigation and survey of Nonshauggrotta in northern Norway is presented. Nonshauggrotta is a phreatic network maze. Cave passages are developed along two orthogonal joint sets: one sub-vertical and the other oblique. The cave is relict with no present drainage basin. Scallop morphometry demonstrate an integrated network flow.