Introduction

Abstract

Karst represents a specific area consisting of surface relief and a surface-underground hydrographic network resulting from the water circulation and its aggressive chemical and physical action in joints, fractures and cracks along the layers of soluble rocks, such as limestone, chalk and dolomite as well as gypsum and salt. Karst is characterized by soluble rocks located near or at the surface. The karstification process results from the physical and chemical water action on the solution and transportation of elements from the rocks. The power of water solubility in contact with rocks depends on the water temperature and its chemical composition, with the dominant component being CO2. The coarseness of grain size is an important factor in limestone dissolution. It effects the chemical quality of karst waters (Sweeting 1973). The fineness of grain affects the solubility of the rock. Sweeting (1973) has concluded, after laboratory experiments on dolomites from Ontario, that the finer grained dolomites are about twice as soluble as the coarser grained beds. Owing to specific geologic and geomorphologic, and particularly hydraulic characteristics, karst areas exhibit a specific water circulation which should be studied by appropriate methods. Karst hydrology is a relatively new scientific discipline if it is considered as an independent scientific branch. It has been so far included in the investigations on the process of water circulation in karst as a part of geology and hydrogeology, but it is developing as an independent discipline.KeywordsWater CirculationKarst AreaHydraulic CharacteristicHydrographic NetworkKarstification ProcessThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.