A Comparison of the Genetic Shaft Types of Some Karst Areas Based on Their Specific Shaft Lengths

Abstract

Shaft development can be documented on the basis of comparative studiesof specific shaft lengths and shaft patterns. We calculated the specific lengthof shafts and the average specific shaft length of the shafts in some karstareas and we investigated the relation between the altitude of shaft floorsand the specific shaft length. Taking the registered specific shaft lengthsand the shaft patterns into consideration, it can be stated that some partsof the shafts developed paragenetically in the studied karst areas. In theBakony Region, this was caused by surface water influx, rise of karst waterlevel, and their simultaneous effect. As a result, shaft systems, bifurcatingshafts and storeyed shafts developed. On glaciokarst areas, shafts mayconstitute a system with phreatic passages: either because a phreatic environment developed in the vadose zone due to the permanent impoundmentof karst water or because a phreatic passage got into the vadose zone sincethe karst became elevated. On the studied karst areas, the following shaftdevelopment types are distinguished: glacial-high mountain surface flooddevelopment type (1), glacial-high mountain karst water and surface flooddevelopment type (2), glacial karst water and surface flood later phreaticdevelopment type (3), shaft with a passage that got into the vadose zone (4).