Cave Turbidites

Abstract

Turbidites are uncommon in caves, but are more common as palaeokarst deposits. Marine carbonate turbidites, called cay­manites, are the most common cave and palaeokarst turbidites, but marine non-carbonate turbidites, freshwater carbonate turbidites and freshwater non-carbonate turbidites are also de­posited in caves and preserved in palaeokarst sequences. One of the most complex sequences of cave turbidites occurs in the Wellington Caves Phosphate Mine in Australia. Cave turbidites form in ponded water in caves and may be triggered by floods and highintensity rain events. While caymanites are most likely to form during marine transgressions, they can be emplaced by tsunami. Freshwater cave turbidites are most likely to form in flooded hypogene caves located in the seasonally wet tropics and in areas withirregular highintensity rainfall events.