| definition |
- Cave deposits, or speleothems, are mineral formations in caves. While the water flows, the speleothems grow in thin, shiny layers. The amount of growth is an indicator of how much ground water dripped into the cave. Little growth might indicate a drought, just as rapid growth could point to heavy precipitation.
When the speleothems stop growing, the outside becomes dirty and eroded in places, giving it a dull appearance. Spelothems can be dated by measuring how much uranium has decayed. Evidence of past climate changes can be inferred from measuring oxygen isotopes in speleothems.
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