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Abstract:

The appearance and relationships of Brucker Breakdown and adjacent area, a portion ofthe Mammoth Cave System,implythatcomplex structural and hydrogeological factors affectected and/or controlled passage development. Detailed surveys include geographic, cartographic, lithologic, morphologic, stratigraphic, and paleoflow indicators. The five proposed scenarios were the following. Case 1: All (or most) of the passages were once continuous across the Brucker Breakdown void, which is a subsequent feature. Case Ia: The Brucker Breakdown void is a subsequentfeature whose development caused morphological changes in the pre-existing passages adjacent to it (traditional hypothesis). Case II: The passages converge toward or diverge from the Brucker Breakdown void, which acted as either a source or target of flow and is a primary feature. Case Ila: Several passages converge on the Brucker Breakdown void and fewer components depart from it, indicating that the Brucker Breakdown void is a primary feature and represented a local potentiometric low. Case lIb: Several passages diverge from the Brucker Breakdown void, and fewer components converge on it, indicating that the Brucker Breakdown void is a primary feature and represented a local potentiometric high. Of these, Case lib was found to most closely represent the situation presented by the data.

To perform this study, a detailed procedure was developed that, until this time, had not been established nor outlined in the literature. Once the area of study was chosen and defined, an extremely detailed cartographic and morphologic survey was performed that established both horizontal and vertical data points throughout the area. These data points were tied to existing transit surveys of the surface that linked the subsurface area to U.S. Geological Survey bench marks. The cartographic, geographic, and morphologic data were converted with computer aid to map form. The maps were then field-checked for accuracy. Comprehensive geological mapping surveys were executed. Multiple stratigraphic sections were described and measured in each passage segment, and these were tied to the vertical data points. Correlations were made between sections and were physically traced whenever conditions permitted. Speleothem dating information from prior research was obtained and correlated throughout the study area. Finally, important features and passage morphologies were documented photographically.