2008 Joint Meeting of The Geological Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies with the Gulf Coast Section of SEPM

Paper No. 14
Presentation Time: 11:30 AM

Folia: A Hypogenic Degassing Origin


AUDRA, Philippe, Polytech’Nice-Sophia, Engineering School of Nice - Sophia Antipolis University, 1645 route des Lucioles, Biot, 06410, France, MOCOCHAIN, Ludovic, CEREGE, Aix-Marseille University, Europôle de l’Arbois, BP 80, Aix-en-Provence Cedex 4, 13545, France, BIGOT, Jean-Yves, Barcelonnette, 04400, France and NOBÉCOURT, Jean-Claude, Vence, 06140, France, audra@unice.fr

Folia are calcite deposits resembling inverted rimstones occurring in saturated pools. Based on morphological studies in Adaouste Cave (Provence, France) and on studies in worldwide sites, we propose a new genetic model for folia, close to the one of Green [1991]. Folia occurrence is interpreted as an indicator of hypogenic degassing just below the water table. The association with bubble trails results of combined processes made of generalized calcite deposition in saturated pools and corrosion along bubble trails.