WHY ARE THERE NO ACTIVE, DRAWDOWN DOLINES IN THE TRANSDANUBIAN MOUNTAINS?

Abstract

We analyse the relationship between epikarst development and surface formations in karst areas in order to interpret the reasons for the lack of drawdown dolines in the Transdanubian Range. For this purpose, we compare the average specific resistivities of the bedrock – aquired by VES (Vertial Eletric Sounding) measurements – of the karst areas included in the study. It can be seen that in Bakonyvidék, where there are no dissolution dolines, the resistivities in the bedrock are small and this indicating a water-rich epikarst (or higher water level). While in the other karst areas studied, where there are dissolution dolines, the resistivities are higher and therefore the epikarst is poor in water (or the water level is deeper). At low resistivities, where the piezometric surface is high, the epikarst is undeveloped, which is not in favour of doline formation. At high resistivities, the piezometric surface is deeper (the karst dissolution depths do not reach the aqueous part of the epikarst), so the epikarst is developed, which facilitates the formation of dissolution dolines.