Geospeleology of granite caves in the Serra dos Cocais, Valinhos (São Paulo State)

• Grant number: 19/22184-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): December 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal researcher: William Sallun Filho
• Grantee: Sara dos Santos Souza
• Home Institution: Instituto Geológico. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Serra dos Cocais, in the municipality of Valinhos (SP), has a typical granite landscape, with a series of exposed blocks. In turn, these various blocks, when rolled to the valleys and drainages, or even in situ in the slopes, are arranged to form granitic cavities. In Brazilian geospeleology, these caves are poorly studied and explored, despite several occurrences. Thus, the Serra dos Cocais presents itself as an important site for the development of geospelological research, due to its easy access, a large availability of localized and mapped granite caves and geological knowledge of the detail of the rocks. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to compare and understand the genesis of three different caves, already mapped in the Serra dos Cocais, through the analysis of the morphology of caves in plant and profile, petrography of nesting rocks and speleothems, block morphology, structural analysis of rocks and lineaments in aerial images and photographs. The project will make it possible to increase knowledge about this type of common cavity in Brazil and so little studied, as well as provide information that may help the environment planning in a region of growing urban expansion.