Physics of condensation corrosion in caves

Abstract

Condensation of water from warm, humid air to cold rock walls in caves is regarded to play a significant role in speleogenesis. Water condensing to the cave walls quickly attains equilibrium with the carbon dioxide in the surrounding air, and consequently dissolves limestone or gypsum. Heat released by condensation and heat flux from the air to the cave wall raises the temperature of the cave walls and reduces the condensation rates. For constant air temperature initial condensation rates are high but then drop rapidly by orders of magnitude during the first few days until constant condensation rates are attained, when the heat flux into the rock is fully transmitted to the surface of the karst plateau. When diurnal or seasonal variations of the air temperature are active as is the case close to cave entrances, condensation rates can become quite significant, up to about 10-6 m/year.