Stalagmite

A stalagmite is growing up from the floor of a cave stalagmite. Its counterpart is the stalactite hanging from the ceiling, and Stalagnat when both types are grown together.

A stalagmite is a Speleothem, in which is deposited by auftropfendes carbonated water, the calcite, a stalagmite is formed and can take various forms. The intensity of the dripping point, but also the drop height of the drip water or soil conditions have an influence on the shape of the stalagmite.

Thus, a distinction is equally slim Kerzenstalagmiten and the conical Palmstammstalagmiten. The Kerzenstalagmiten caused by a uniform solution supply and can reach several meters in height with a small diameter. The conical stalagmites caused by a very strong leachate supply and may have at the base of several meters in diameter, such as the millionaire in the Sophienhöhle.

The height of fall in turn has an influence on the upper end of the drip stone. A rounded end is formed with a low head of water; with increasing height of fall, the end is flat and can form a concave shape in the extreme.

Furthermore, there are stalactite forms that deviate from these basic values ​​, such as a stalagmite in Schulerloch whose tip is formed as a water basin, or the Vesuvius in Eberstadt stalactite cave, which has been formed by carbonated water, but now worn by carbonated water slowly will.