National Parks formed by Ground Water

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National Parks formed by Ground Water

• Mammoth Cave National Park
• Petrified Forest National Park

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Mammoth Cave National ParkVital Statistics

• West Central Kentucky
• 51,000 acres
• 82 square miles

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Human History

• 2000 BC native american camp
• 1000 BC to AD 900 Woodlands Culture
• Wooden bowls, gourds, sandals, woven cord,
  hearths
• Collected gypsum
• Mummified body, 390 BC
• Settlers (re)discovered cave in 1799
• War of 1812, potassium nitrate was mined
• 1815-1837 several changes in ownership
• 1837 purchase by Dr. John Croghan 10k
• 1837-1859 Stephen Bishop, slave and explorer
• 1926 authorized to become NP
• 1941 NP Established

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Geologic Features

• Primary features related to solution of limestone
  by groundwater
• Cave System Formation of cavities
• Initial formation in St. Genevieve Limestone
• Rain water absorbs CO2 in atmos. and soil
• H2O CO2 carbonic acid ? dissolves LS
• Flow along joints, bedding enlarges to cavity

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Geologic Features

• Lowering of groundwater level, usually by
  deepening of rivers.
• Cavities drain of water and CaCO3 can be
  deposited as Dripstone features
• Cave Deposits
• Travertine (calcite) dripstone
• Sediments washed into cave
• Breakdown, from collapse of rock into cavity

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Types of Flowstone

• Stalactites
• Stalagmites
• Columns Pillars
• Curtains
• Flowstone
• Helictites

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Cave Life

• Mammoth Cave blindfish
• Eyes degenerate or absent
• Lack of body pigmentation
• Adaptations to cave life
• Blind Crayfish
• Cave crickets
• Beetles
• Worms
• Spiders
• Bats

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Surface Features

• Karst Topography
• Sinkholes
• Disappearing Streams

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Geologic History

• Devonian New Albany Shale
• Mississippian marine deposits 1200ft
• Pennsylvanian shore then river deposits
• Permian Cincinnati Arch uplift and tilting
• Mz erosion

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Petrified Forest National Park Vital Statistics

• East-central Arizona
• 94,000 acres
• 146 square acres

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Human History

• 500 800 Basket Maker Culture
• Pit houses
• Rectangular houses of stone or adobe
• Pueblos, some made of petrified logs
• 1400

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Human History

• 1850s first explored by Americans
• 1878 settlers arrive
• 1883 RR went through area now park
• 1896 became Forest Reserve
• 1898-1900 USGS study
• 1906 TR National Monument
• 1921 discovery of Phytosaurs
• 1931 enlargement
• 1933 discovery of Fossil Leaves
• 1962 enlargement and upgrade to NP

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Geologic Features

• Wood petrified by ground water activity
• Silicification, preserved by silica replacement
• Logs deposited by flood
• Volcanic ash
• Rainwater percolates and dissolves silica
• Above certain concentration silica precipitates
• Fills voids first, then replaces cells

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Colors

• Iron Oxides (jasper) shades of red/yellow/brown
  and green
• Manganese (amethyst) purple
• Carbon (flint) black
• Pure silica (rock crystal) clear or white
• Tiny crystals (chalcedony) opaque blue to grey
• Parallel bands (agate) several colors

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Plant Fossils over 40 species

• Conifers
• Araucarioxylon arizonicum main tree
• Up to 120 ft tall, 7 feet dia (3-4 ft average)
• Woodworthina Arizonica
• Schilderina adamanica
• Calamites 30 feet tall, 1 foot diameter
• Ferns 19 species
• Cycads pineapple base with palm leaves
• Flowering Plants primitive
• Plant Fragments
• Impressions and carbon films

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Fossil Animals

• Phytosuars Triassic Croc-like reptile 25ft
• Labyrinthodont thick-skulled amphibian related
  to salamanders, 5ft long

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Geologic Features (cont)

• Badlands Topography in Painted Desert

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Geologic History

• Triassic
• Moenkopi sandstone
• Shinarump congl.
• Chinle formation shale siltstone plus ash
  from volcanism in CA and NV
• Tr-Jr transgression of sea marine seds
• K-early Cz Larimide orogeny uplift of CP
• Cz - erosion

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Legendary explanations

• Result of curse by hungry goddess
• Paiute Tribe shafts of the arrows of the
  Thunder God, Shinuau
• Navajo Tribe bones of the great giant, Yietso