Geospeleology of the Rodrigues Cave, Iporanga (São Paulo State, Brazil)

• Grant number: 13/07541-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: William Sallun Filho
• Grantee: Bruno Cirilo Consentino
• Host Institution: Instituto Geológico. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Rodrigues Cave (SP-440) is a cavern in carbonate Proterozoic rocks located in the Intervales State Park (Iporanga municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil). The surface carbonate rocks of Rodrigues cave and surroundings are depressed in relation to non-carbonate rocks, providing karst systems with mixed recharge, polygonal karst, and fluviokarstic sectors. The cavern has a development of 386 meters and 44 meters depth according to the mapping of Group Pierre Martin Speleo Group (GPME). There are no studies about the genesis or geology of the cave, it is believed that the cavern was found in 1999. In a previous visit, it was observed a large number of folds and faults and a large variety of speleothems, apart from a huge sedimentary deposit with shells and erosion levels in the roof. The cave was also located on GPS, showing that it is almost above Paiva Cave (SP-42), the fifth-longest cave of São Paulo state, if connected, the two caves would reach more than 4 kilometers of development. The idea of this project is to study the cave and do the geology and morphology description, with the characterization of speleothems observed. For this purpose, the geological and speleological detailed maps will be produced, and also the structural analysis and description of speleothems. This study will make possible interpretations about the cave genesis and observed structures. (AU)