EGU Blogs

Geology Photo of the Week # 11 – Nov 11- 17

November 12, 2012 Uncategorized Comments Closed

The Photo of the Week #11 is of a superb cave decoration from Kelly Hill caves located on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. I was there in 2009. Most cave decorations are draped against the wall of the cave. More rarely stalactites, stalagmites and other free hanging features form. These are usually perpendicular to the cave floor or ceiling much like icicles. However,  even more rarely, odd shapes can grow such as the one pictured below which shows a spiral on the end of a stalactite. The mineral composing the spiral is aragonite, CaCO3, that is precipitating out of the rainwater seeping in through the cave roof.

Another great view of the spiral (Photo: Matt Herod)

Some more great stalactites. (Photo: Matt Herod)

Hope you enjoy the pics.

Cheers,

Matt

By
Matt Herod is a Ph.D Candidate in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada. His research focuses on the geochemistry of iodine and the radioactive isotope iodine-129. His work involves characterizing the cycle and sources of 129I in the Canadian Arctic and applying this to long term radioactive waste disposal and the effect of Fukushima fallout. His project includes field work and lab work at the André E. Lalonde 3MV AMS Laboratory. Matt blogs about any topic in geology that interests him, and attempts to make these topics understandable to everyone. Tweets as @GeoHerod.