JASKINIA MALINOWSKA (MALINOWSKA CAVE)



Commune: Wisła (pow. cieszyński, woj. śląskie)

Framework element or context represented:
Cave formed in the flysch rocks of the Silesian Nappe of the Outer Carpathians, Beskid Śląski Mts Group.

Primary geological/geomorphological interest:
Non-karst cave developed due to gravitationally controlled evolution of mountain slope.

Comparative assessment justification:
Malinowska cave represents the most instructive and detaily studied example of the cave preceding the landslide formation, suitable for geomorphological reconstruction of the initial phase of the landslides development.

Protection status and accessibility:
Monument of nature (since 1980), accessible for public.

Character of site: Pseudokarst cave.

Area: 0.5 ha

Altitude: 980-1005 m a.s.l.

Lithology: sandstones, conglomerates, breccias

Discipline: Geomorphology

Process Age: Holocene, *all periods

Bedrock Age: Cretaceous, *all periods




Description of primary interest:
The Malinowska cave is situated in the upper part of the steep slope of Mt Malinów formed of very thick-bedded sandstones and conglomerates of the Godula Beds. It is 214.5 m long, 22.7 m deep and consists of entrance shaft (ca. 10 m deep) and system of galleries formed due to widening of the vertical joints. The system of galleries, trending generally W-E, forms arch-like pattern with the both flanks bent towards the south (downslope). The eastern (SE) fragment of the system is more irregular, formed within partly disintegrated rocks, whereas the western section represents row of straight passages developed along the two complementary joint sets, diagonal to the main tectonic structures (D1=300-310º, D2=20-25º). The passages of this part of the cave are 3-20 m long, usually 0.5-2 m wide and up to 15 m high, featured by even and flat (rare conchoidal) walls, which represent surfaces of widened joints. The shape of the cave and character of the passage walls indicate, that it represents crevice type of pseudokarst caves, developed due to gravitational failure of the slope. Lack of slickensides and positions of the sedimentary structures on the opposite walls as well as single conchoidal surfaces prove tensional type of movements, which were mainly horizontal with slight vertical translation. Character of the cave and morphology of the slope document that the cave represents initial stage of the landslide development, preceding the main movement of the rock masses. The walls of the cave passages constitute the cutting surface formed along the original joints and – in places – along induced, conchoidal joints. System of the cave passages reflects circular shape of the prospective landslide head scarp.

Literature:

ALEXANDROWICZ Z., POPRAWA D. (eds) 2000–Geodiversity conservation of the Polish Carpathians. Pol. Geol. Inst., Warszawa 142 pp.     MARGIELEWSKI W., URBAN J. 1999–Initiation of mass movement in the Polish Flysch Carpathians studied in the selected crevice type caves. W: Tulucan T. (ed.) Proc. of the 7th Intern. Symp. for Pseudokarst, Arad-Moneasa, Romania, 6-10 Oct.1999, Arad: 28-38.     MARGIELEWSKI W., URBAN J. 2000–The type of initiation of mass movements in the Flysch Carpathians, studied on the base of structural development of the selected crevice type caves, southern Poland (English summary). Przegl. Geol. 48, 3: 268-274.     MARGIELEWSKI W., URBAN J. 2001–Jaskinie szczelinowe jako inicjalny etap rozwoju osuwisk w Karpatach fliszowych (Polish only). Materiały 35 Symp. Speleol. Sekcji Speleol. Pol. Tow. Przyrodników im. M. Kopernika, Bartkowa 26-28.10.2001: 33-34.     MARGIELEWSKI W., URBAN J. 2002–Initiation of mass movement in the Polish Flysch Carpathians studied in the selected crevice type caves. W: Landslides (eds. Rybář J., Stemberk J., Wagner P.). AA Balkema Publ., Lisse-Abingdon-Exton-Tokyo: 405-409.     MARGIELEWSKI W., URBAN J. 2003–Crevice type caves as initial forms of rock landslides development in the Flysch Carpathians. Geomorphology, 54, 3-4: 325-338.     PULINA M. (ed) 1997–Jaskinie polskich Karpat fliszowych (in Polish), v. 1. Wyd. Pol. Tow. Przyj. Nauk o Ziemi, Warszawa, 228 pp.     URBAN J. (in print)–Caves and karst sites of Poland as a contribution to geological heritage of Central Europe. Pol. Geol. Inst., Special Papers.     VITEK J. 1983–Classification of pseudokarst forms in Czechoslovakia. Intern. Journ. of Speleology 13, 1-18.