Le grotte della guardiola: preliminari osservazioni speleologiche e geologiche
Abstract
En
Along the bottom of Guardiola rock cliff (south-east Salento, see Fig. 1) two caves are present. The entry of the Guardiola cave A is partially out of the sea level. This cave in particularly charming because the karstic forms and the reflection of a pale blue light of water. The strike-cave is ESE-WNW, its lenght is 65 m. A fresh-water spring is located in the middle portion of the south wall cave. Guardiola cave B is quite below the sea level. It shows a SE-NW strike and a lenght of 30 m. Also in this cave a fresh-water spring has been located.The fresh-water springs of the Guardiola caves A and B witness an important discharge zone of the "deep water-bearing stratum", the most important water resource of the Salento Peninsula. Guardiola rock cliff is formed by massive fossil-rich limestones, most probably of the Paleogene. A very extendend fault plane (strike SE-NW) constitutes the main tectonic structure of the zone. The form of the karstic structures of the Guardiola caves is strictly dependent on the tectonic setting and fracture pattern.
Along the bottom of Guardiola rock cliff (south-east Salento, see Fig. 1) two caves are present. The entry of the Guardiola cave A is partially out of the sea level. This cave in particularly charming because the karstic forms and the reflection of a pale blue light of water. The strike-cave is ESE-WNW, its lenght is 65 m. A fresh-water spring is located in the middle portion of the south wall cave. Guardiola cave B is quite below the sea level. It shows a SE-NW strike and a lenght of 30 m. Also in this cave a fresh-water spring has been located.The fresh-water springs of the Guardiola caves A and B witness an important discharge zone of the "deep water-bearing stratum", the most important water resource of the Salento Peninsula. Guardiola rock cliff is formed by massive fossil-rich limestones, most probably of the Paleogene. A very extendend fault plane (strike SE-NW) constitutes the main tectonic structure of the zone. The form of the karstic structures of the Guardiola caves is strictly dependent on the tectonic setting and fracture pattern.
DOI Code:
10.1285/i15910725v23p117
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