The hydrochemical response of cave drip waters to sub-annual and inter-annual climate variability, Wombeyan Caves, SE Australia

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dc.contributor.authorMcDonald, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorDrysdale, RNen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHill, DEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChisari, Ren_AU
dc.contributor.authorWong, HKYen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2008-04-22T05:28:18Zen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2010-04-30T05:07:28Zen_AU
dc.date.available2008-04-22T05:28:18Zen_AU
dc.date.available2010-04-30T05:07:28Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2007-10-15en_AU
dc.date.statistics2007-10en_AU
dc.description.abstractA thorough understanding of cave seepage waters is necessary to interpret geochemical variations in speleothem calcite in terms of changing surface climatic conditions at a particular site. Here we present the hydrochemistry of ten cave drip waters from a karst system in SE Australia based on up to 5.5 years of monitoring. Discharge was continuously measured at six sites and manually at the other sites. Dripwater samples were analysed for pH, electrical conductivity, cations and anions at all sites at monthly or more frequent intervals. Each drip possesses a unique chemistry, and not all drip waters responded to antecedent short-term hydrological variations. For example, the hydrochemical behaviour of three adjacent drips at a bedrock depth of 45 m was completely different to that of shallower sites, and was apparently un-related to surface hydrology throughout the investigation. Based on modelled calcite precipitation vectors, prior calcite precipitation was demonstrated at several sites but can only be linked directly to changes in surface recharge at the shallowest sites. At extremely low flow, shallow drip waters accessed a high Mg, Sr and Ba source, thought to be the overlying soil. High-frequency sample collection allows for the calculation of predicted Mg/Ca-calcite and Sr/ Ca-calcite values, highlighting that the sites with the greatest potential to record high-resolution palaeohydrological records are those situated at shallow depth. Longer temporal-resolution palaeohydrological records may be recorded at deeper sites but longer-term monitoring is required to identify probable time scales. Inherent system non-linearities, dissolution of secondary calcite in pore spaces of the aquifer, changes in the source of trace elements, and the presence of multiple reservoirs confirm the need for the use of multiple speleothems and a multi-proxy approach to gain accurate palaeohydrological records from this site. © 2007, Elsevier Ltd.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationMcDonald, J., Drysdale, R., Hill, D., Chisari, R., & Wong, H. (2007). The hydrochemical response of cave drip waters to sub-annual and inter-annual climate variability, Wombeyan Caves, SE Australia. Chemical Geology, 244(3-4), 605-623. doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2007.07.007en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc1478en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0009-2541en_AU
dc.identifier.issue3-4en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleChemical Geologyen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination605-623en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2007.07.007en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/1099en_AU
dc.identifier.volume244en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectCavesen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectWateren_AU
dc.subjectClimatesen_AU
dc.subjectSeepsen_AU
dc.subjectHydrologyen_AU
dc.titleThe hydrochemical response of cave drip waters to sub-annual and inter-annual climate variability, Wombeyan Caves, SE Australiaen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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