Evaporative cooling of speleothem drip water

M.O. Cuthbert; G.C. Rau; M.S. Andersen; H. Roshan; H. Rutlidge; C.E. Marjo; M. Markowska; C.N. Jex; P.W. Graham; G. Mariethoz; R.I. Acworth; A. Baker

doi:10.1038/srep05162

Evaporative cooling of speleothem drip water

M.O. Cuthbert, G.C. Rau, M.S. Andersen, H. Roshan, H. Rutlidge, C.E. Marjo, M. Markowska, C.N. Jex, P.W. Graham, G. Mariethoz, R.I. Acworth, A. Baker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study describes the first use of concurrent high-precision temperature and drip rate monitoring to explore what controls the temperature of speleothem forming drip water. Two contrasting sites, one with fast transient and one with slow constant dripping, in a temperate semi-arid location (Wellington, NSW, Australia), exhibit drip water temperatures which deviate significantly from the cave air temperature. We confirm the hypothesis that evaporative cooling is the dominant, but so far unattributed, control causing significant disequilibrium between drip water and host rock/air temperatures. The amount of cooling is dependent on the drip rate, relative humidity and ventilation. Our results have implications for the interpretation of temperature-sensitive, speleothem climate proxies such as Î́ 18 O, cave microecology and the use of heat as a tracer in karst. Understanding the processes controlling the temperature of speleothem-forming cave drip waters is vital for assessing the reliability of such deposits as archives of climate change.

Original language	English
Article number	5162
Number of pages	7
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep05162
Publication status	Published - 4 Jun 2014
Externally published	Yes

Programme Area

Programme Area 5: Nature and Climate

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/srep05162Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Evaporative cooling of speleothem drip water",

abstract = "This study describes the first use of concurrent high-precision temperature and drip rate monitoring to explore what controls the temperature of speleothem forming drip water. Two contrasting sites, one with fast transient and one with slow constant dripping, in a temperate semi-arid location (Wellington, NSW, Australia), exhibit drip water temperatures which deviate significantly from the cave air temperature. We confirm the hypothesis that evaporative cooling is the dominant, but so far unattributed, control causing significant disequilibrium between drip water and host rock/air temperatures. The amount of cooling is dependent on the drip rate, relative humidity and ventilation. Our results have implications for the interpretation of temperature-sensitive, speleothem climate proxies such as {\^I}́ 18 O, cave microecology and the use of heat as a tracer in karst. Understanding the processes controlling the temperature of speleothem-forming cave drip waters is vital for assessing the reliability of such deposits as archives of climate change.",

author = "M.O. Cuthbert and G.C. Rau and M.S. Andersen and H. Roshan and H. Rutlidge and C.E. Marjo and M. Markowska and C.N. Jex and P.W. Graham and G. Mariethoz and R.I. Acworth and A. Baker",

note = "Funding Information: Funding for this research was provided by the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, an Australian Government initiative, supported by the Australian Research Council and the National Water Commission. Mark Cuthbert was supported by Marie Curie Research Fellowship funding from the European Community{\textquoteright}s Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013] under grant agreement nu299091. The climate station and Stalagmates were funded from The Australian Government Groundwater Education Investment Fund (GEIF). Thanks also go to Chris George, Col Birchall and Mike Augee for practical and logistical support during the experiment and Bruce Welsh and Philip Maynard from Sydney University Speleological Society for providing the survey map. We are grateful to Mark Whelan for building the high-resolution temperature equipment.",

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AU - Cuthbert, M.O.

AU - Rau, G.C.

AU - Andersen, M.S.

AU - Roshan, H.

AU - Rutlidge, H.

AU - Marjo, C.E.

AU - Markowska, M.

AU - Jex, C.N.

AU - Graham, P.W.

AU - Mariethoz, G.

AU - Acworth, R.I.

AU - Baker, A.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding for this research was provided by the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, an Australian Government initiative, supported by the Australian Research Council and the National Water Commission. Mark Cuthbert was supported by Marie Curie Research Fellowship funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013] under grant agreement nu299091. The climate station and Stalagmates were funded from The Australian Government Groundwater Education Investment Fund (GEIF). Thanks also go to Chris George, Col Birchall and Mike Augee for practical and logistical support during the experiment and Bruce Welsh and Philip Maynard from Sydney University Speleological Society for providing the survey map. We are grateful to Mark Whelan for building the high-resolution temperature equipment.

PY - 2014/6/4

Y1 - 2014/6/4

N2 - This study describes the first use of concurrent high-precision temperature and drip rate monitoring to explore what controls the temperature of speleothem forming drip water. Two contrasting sites, one with fast transient and one with slow constant dripping, in a temperate semi-arid location (Wellington, NSW, Australia), exhibit drip water temperatures which deviate significantly from the cave air temperature. We confirm the hypothesis that evaporative cooling is the dominant, but so far unattributed, control causing significant disequilibrium between drip water and host rock/air temperatures. The amount of cooling is dependent on the drip rate, relative humidity and ventilation. Our results have implications for the interpretation of temperature-sensitive, speleothem climate proxies such as Î́ 18 O, cave microecology and the use of heat as a tracer in karst. Understanding the processes controlling the temperature of speleothem-forming cave drip waters is vital for assessing the reliability of such deposits as archives of climate change.

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Evaporative cooling of speleothem drip water

Abstract

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UN SDGs

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