The Troubles with Cupolas

• Published in: Acta carsologica Vol. 33; no. 2
• Main Author: Osborne, R. Armstrong L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts 19-05-2016
• ISSN: 0583-6050; 1580-2612
• DOI: 10.3986/ac.v33i2.289

Kupole so korozijske tvorbe v obliki kupol, znane tako s krasa v apnencih kot tudi v anhidritih. Medtem ko je bilo v literaturi precej razpravljanja o verjetnem nastanku in pomenu teh oblik, pa je zelo malo podrobnih opisov teh oblik ter definicij tega pojma. Zato je s kupolami precej težav: Kaj je kupola? Kje se kupole pojavljajo? Kakšne so kupole? Ali so kupole povezane z določenimi drugimi oblikami? Ali so kupole oblike v stropu ali oblike, ki jih je strop prerezal? Kako kupole nastajajo? Kako lahko rešimo ta vprašanja? V prispevku je veliko odgovorov na ta vprašanja, toda večji del terenskih raziskav in teoretičnega dela bo treba šele opraviti. Najpomembnejša so podrobna terenska opazovanja in merjenja kupol ter tistih oblik, ki so z njimi povezane. Tako bo mogoče rešiti vprašanje kupol in tako bo mogoče izvedeti še več o nenavadnih jamah, v katerih se kupole pojavljajo. Cupolas are dome-shaped solution cavities that occur in karst caves, and have been described in both limestone and gypsum karst. While there has been considerable discussion in the literature concerning the likely origin and significance of these features, there has been little in the way of detailed description of the features themselves and little attention has been given to the definition of the term. Consequently, there are a number of troubles with cupolas: - What is a cupola? Where do cupolas occur? What are cupolas like? Do cupolas occur with particular types of speleogens? Are cupolas features of ceilings or features intersected by ceilings? How do cupolas form? But how can these troubles be resolved? Tentative answers are given here to many of these questions but a great deal of basic field observation and theoretical work is required to solve them. The most important step would be more field observation and measurement of cupolas and of the particular suite of speleogens that occur with them. The troubles with cupolas can be solved and in the process we will come to understand a great deal more about the unusual caves in which they occur.