Karst Geology of the Mammoth Cave System and Surrounding Area

This course will focus on:
Karst landforms and their relation to underlying geology.
Role of groundwater in cave development and landscape evolution.
Geological and hydrogeological controls on cave morphology
Geological history of the Mammoth Cave System
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Karst terrains are among the most dynamic and fragile landscapes on Earth, where geo- and biochemical, hydrological, and geological processes operate on multiple timescales. This course explores the unique setting of the Mammoth Cave System—a globally significant example of a fluvio-karst system. This course combines lectures, surface and subsurface field trips, and discussion-based learning to provide an integrated understanding of karst science, with Mammoth Cave and the surrounding area as a natural laboratory.
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This multi-day course will take place at Cave Research Foundation’s Hamilton Valley Field Station located just outside of Mammoth Cave National Park. See http://karstfieldstudies.com/logistics.php for additional information about housing. Participants must be in reasonably good physical condition to negotiate the cave passages and surface hikes which are a major component of this course. Morning class sessions begin at 8:30 am and break at Noon for lunch. Afternoon sessions will begin at 1:00 pm and will typically return from field sites by 5:00 pm. There will be a two-hour break for dinner. There will be some evening sessions that feature guest speakers.

You may also like the following events from WKU Karst Field Studies:

• This month, 8th June, 06:00 pm, Cave Survey and Cartography in Cave City

Also check out other Workshops in Cave City.