Hypogenic karst of the Great Basin

A groundbreaking discovery in the 1980s revealed that hypogenic karst processes, driven by ascending groundwater rich in carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, play a significant role in cave formation at depth. This study identifies sulfidic groundwater as a key agent in dissolving carbonate bedrock, leading to the creation of spectacular caves through sulfuric acid speleogenesis. While many Great Basin caves formed under hypogenic conditions before the current topography developed, evidence of this process is often obscured by later meteoric infiltration and calcite speleothems. By analyzing speleogenetic features such as folia, mammillaries, and metatyuyamunite, researchers can infer the earlier hypogenic stage. Lehman Caves in Great Basin National Park provides a unique example where a low-permeability capstone preserved early speleogenetic features, offering valuable insights into these processes.

Hose*, L. D., DuChene*, H. R., Jones, D., Baker*, G. M., Havlena, Z., Sweetkind, D., & Powell, D. (2021). Hypogenic karst of the Great Basin. Field Excursions from the 2021 GSA Section Meetings, 77–114. https://doi.org/10.1130/2020.0061(05)