Punk Rock

Punk rock, a term coined by Carol Hill (1), is the friable layer of rock under the corrosion residues. Hill defines punk rock as, ``bedrock which has been so highly corroded that it is soft and flaky rather than hard and crystalline''. The punk rock in Lechuguilla Cave is highly leached, leaving behind just the calcium carbonate. As the finger smear left by a careless person shows, it possible to put your finger into this material.

Clicking on the images will display larger versions of the photos.

Corroded limestone near EF Junction in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM shows early development of pink corrosion residue. A careless person has stuck their fingers in the residue right of center (above and to the right of the hand holding the ruler). Photo by Kenneth Ingham. Penny Boston observes corroded limestone near EF Junction in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM shows early development of pink corrosion residue. Photo by Kenneth Ingham.

SEM image (500x) of white punk rock from Ghost Town in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM. Notice the chewed-up nature of the rock. SEM by Spilde, Northup, and Boston. Higher magnification (1200x) of the white punk rock from Ghost Town in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM. Notice the chewed-up nature of the rock. SEM by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.

1. Hill, Carol A, 1987 Geology of Carlsbad Cavern and other caves in the Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico and Texas, Socorro, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources Bulletin 117.

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Comments to Diana Northup.


Corroded limestone near EF Junction in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM shows early development of pink corrosion residue. A careless person has stuck their fingers in the residue right of center (above and to the right of the hand holding the ruler). Photo by Kenneth Ingham.	Penny Boston observes corroded limestone near EF Junction in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM shows early development of pink corrosion residue. Photo by Kenneth Ingham.

SEM image (500x) of white punk rock from Ghost Town in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM. Notice the chewed-up nature of the rock. SEM by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.	Higher magnification (1200x) of the white punk rock from Ghost Town in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM. Notice the chewed-up nature of the rock. SEM by Spilde, Northup, and Boston.