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> I finally came up with a question, an etymology question
Heidi
post Jun 22 2005, 01:36 AM
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Hi Tom,

Only an English teacher would ask this... So, I think I understand what a thermokarst is in the larger sense...a hole in the ground created by melted permafost? But I'm wondering what a "karst" is? I understand why thermo is at the beginning of the word in relation to its meaning, but then what is a karst? Perhaps that would make it more clear to me what exactly one is...
Have fun!

Heidi rolleyes.gif
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Tom_Crumrine
post Jun 22 2005, 02:42 AM
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Heidi,

Thanks for writing in. I hope you have been enjoying painting the house while I am away. I really appreciate it. Have you added any strange colors that I will be surprised by when I return?

Anyway--on to your answer.
KARST--Terrain with special landforms and drainage characteristics due to greater solubility of certain rocks in natural waters than is common. Derived from the geographical name of part of Slovenia.

That is the technical definition. As I understand it a karst is formed in terrain where you have rock that can be dissolved more readily than other rock. Limestone for example could be dissolved quite easily by water with carbonic acid in it. If the limestone were interspersed throughout another type of more resistant rock then the limestone would disappear and the other rock would remain. Taken to extreme it could creat a situation where there is a collapse. Or a cave could form and you could get a network of caves wherever the limestone was eroded away.

The name thermokarst just uses the word karst and adds the prefix thermo- to indicate that it is caused by ice disappearing rather than rock. Some of the things I read said that it should actually be called a cryocarst to more accurately refer to the ice--but that hasn't caught on yet. Hope this helps.

Love,
Tom
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