formation of temple hill saltpeter cave
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The Fort Payne formation limestone, in which Temple Hill Salt Peter Cave resides, was deposited during the early Mississippian Period (Lower Carboniferous). Crinoids and other sea creatures that lived and died during this time period can be seen as fossils throughout the cave. The picture to the left is how Earth's continents were arranged in this period.
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This picture is a depiction of what an early Mississippian sea would appear. Crinoids, bryozoans, and sea floor plants can be seen in the picture. Crinoids are the tall, stalk-like creatures that attached to the sea floor and fed on organisms floating in the water.
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When crinoids and other sea creatures die, their remains settle to the bottom of the sea in which they inhabit. Some show excellent preservation, such as these.
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Layers of limestone such as this are composed of the remains of crinoids and other sea creatures. Lithification occurred after the seas disappeared.
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The fossilized remains of the crinoid stalks can be seen in this picture. This is a picture of a cave wall inside a large chamber in the cave. It is visible only because the clay-rich sediment has been removed by miners.
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Kart processes, such as the diagram pictured to the left, carved Temple Hill Hill Saltpeter Cave into the Fort Payne Limestone. Water and carbon dioxide combine to form carbonic acid, which dissolve the calcium rich limestone through a chemical process called dissolution. After millions of years, the cave was formed. The water level of the area lowered substantially and we have the dry cave we see today. Parts of the cave still at water level can be seen by the stream