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.