A speleoseismite is a damaged
speleothem (cave deposit) argued to have been deformed by a
seismic event (an
earthquake). Speleoseismites can include severed
stalagmites (those growing from the floor), fallen
stalactites (those growing from the ceiling of caves), collapsed cave ceilings, tilted speleothems, change in growth axis of speleothems, stalactite-stalagmite pair displaced from one another and others. These
seismites can be used in
paleoseismological studies of ancient earthquakes.
References
Kagan, E.J., Agnon, A., Bar-Matthews, M., Ayalon, A., 2005, Dating large, infrequent earthquakes by damaged cave deposits. Geology, v. 33; no. 4; p. 261-264.
Gilli, E., Levret, A., Sollogoub, P., and Delange, P., 1999, Research on the February 18, 1996 earthquake in the caves of Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet area, (eastern Pyrenees, France): Geodinamica Acta, v. 12, p. 143.