, Auditorium
Lineament analyses provide a valuable framework for understanding the structural controls on karst development, groundwater flow, and surface–subsurface interactions in karst terrains. In the Mammoth Cave region of south-central Kentucky, the intersection of mapped faults, joints, and fracture zones with topographic lineaments strongly influences the orientation of cave passages, sinkhole alignments, and conduit-dominated aquifers.
By integrating remote sensing of 10-inch resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEM), ArcGIS-based lineament mapping, and ongoing field verification, this study highlights the role of regional structural trends in the Mammoth Cave Plateau in guiding speleogenesis and level development within the Mammoth Cave Plateau. It can be utilized to identify zones of preferential flow pathways and can therefore improve vulnerability mapping, help predict contaminant transport, and influence land-use decisions within sensitive recharge areas.
The results indicate that lineaments of NE–SW and NW–SE trending orientation exert some directional influence on conduit orientation, thereby influencing both the hydrologic regime and the geomorphic expression of the Mammoth Cave Plateau. These findings show the importance of structural mapping in karst terrains, providing an interpretive framework for predicting anisotropic groundwater flow, delineating zones of enhanced vulnerability, and refining conceptual models of karst aquifer dynamics.
In addition, this research demonstrates that lineament analyses offer an essential tool for advancing both theoretical understanding of karst evolution and applied strategies for the conservation and management of large cave systems.
Ljubomir Risteski
Dr. Patricia Kambesis
Department of Earth Environmental and
Atmospheric Sciences
Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky.