THE GOVERNING FACTORS OF THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SHESHPEER KARST SPRINGS, IRAN

The physical and chemical characteristics of karst springs are not a s ole function of flow path in the carbonatic rock mass. A number of oth er parameters, including the type of precipitation, soil cover morphol ogy of the exposed area, and the hydrochemistry of the infiltrating wa ter into the karst system also have their own contribution. In the pre sent study, the Car and Barm-Firooz mountains me chosen to determine s ome of the governing factors of the physical and hydrochemical charact eristics of karst springs. The following measurements were carried out : 1. Concentration of major ions and electrical conductivity of the fr esh snow and snowpack. 2. Variation of discharge as a function of time at six sicking streams. 3. Time Variation of discharge, electrical co nductivity, and air and water temperature of sinking streams at seven sinkholes. 4. Electrical conductivity and temperature of water at the surface and 40 cm beneath the soil cover. 5. Discharge, major ions, te mperature and electrical conductivity of the Sheshpeer spring water we re measured every twenty days for a period of three years.The results indicate that if the physical and chemical characteristics of a karst spring are going to be used to determine the characteristics of corres ponding aquifer, first the effect of external factors on the outflow s hould be accounted for, and then the characteristics of the karst aqui fer be determined.