ABSTRACT
Sinkholes are a common geologic hazard in many parts of the world. It is considered as an obvious geomorphologic feature of karst terrains and results from the subsidence or collapse of sur‰cial material or subsurface cavities. Its distinctive landscape topography is largely formed through the dissolving of carbonate and/or sulfate bedrocks such as limestone and gypsum by groundwater, and may differ in shape and size from less than a meter to several hundred meters both in diameter and depth. It varies in form from soil-lined bowls to bedrock-edged chasms. The development process in arid regions is profoundly inŠuenced by natural hydrogeological systems. However, human impacts can cause sinkholes to occur in many ways, especially where they might not naturally have happened. Human impacts might cause sinkholes to form catastrophically than
CONTENTS
19.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 349 19.2 Geoinformatics in Sinkholes Studies ................................................. 350 19.3 Sinkholes and Rock Types ................................................................... 351 19.4 Sinkholes of West Texas ....................................................................... 352 19.5 Sinkholes of Qatar................................................................................. 357 19.6 Sinkholes in Dead Sea-Jordan Valley ................................................ 361 19.7 Environmental Impacts of Sinkholes ................................................. 365 19.8 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 366 References ........................................................................................................ 366
under natural conditions. There are many human-related activities that are believed to cause or be linked to sinkholes formation, e.g., decline of groundwater level due to pumping, leaking water especially from sewer pipes, injection of water, and others.
