CORALLOIDS

 

Coralloids (a.k.a. cave popcorn; a.k.a. knobstone) are relatively small, rounded to subrounded to irregularly nodular speleothems.  These commonly-seen structures form principally in subaerial cave settings by mineral precipitation as water seeps by capillary action from cave walls or from dripstone or flowstone.

 

All coralloids shown below are composed of travertine.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn on stalactites), northern portion of the Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn), northern portion of the Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn on stalactite), northern portion of the Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn on stalactite), northern portion of the Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn), Queen’s Chamber, King’s Palace Trail, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn on stalactites), Queen’s Chamber, King’s Palace Trail, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn on stalactites), Queen’s Chamber, King’s Palace Trail, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn on stalactite), Queen’s Chamber, King’s Palace Trail, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn), between Green Lake Room and the Boneyard, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn) and flowstone, northern portion of the Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Coralloids (cave popcorn), near the Lion's Tail, Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Lion's Tail (coralloids/cave popcorn on stalactite), western side of the Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Lion's Tail (coralloids/cave popcorn on stalactite), western side of the Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.

 

Directional coralloids (directional cave popcorn on stalagmite), Fairyland, Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns.  Directional coralloids such as this form as cool, dry air enters the cave during wintertime, preferentially evaporating water on the upwind side of a stalactite or stalagmite.  This results in mineral encrustation on one side.

 


 

 

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