This work describes the geochemical and hydrogeological characteristics of Santa Cesarea Terme, an active sulfuric acid speleogenetic system located along the Adriatic coastline (Apulia, southern Italy). It represents a very peculiar site, where rising thermal and acidic waters mix with seawater creating undersaturated solutions with respect to CaCO₃, able to dissolve and corrode limestone and create caves. The Santa Cesarea Terme system is composed of four caves: Fetida, Sulfurea, Gattulla, and Solfatara. Hypogene morphologies and abundant deposits of native sulfur (especially in Gattulla Cave) and sulfate minerals are present in these caves. Fetida and Gattulla caves were investigated primarily because they are easily accessible throughout the whole year through artificial entrances, the other caves being reachable only from the sea. Geochemical analysis of water, monitoring of cave atmosphere, and measurement of the stable isotopes of S, O, and H helped to identify the main processes occurring in this complex cave system. In particular, changes in Ba²⁺ and Sr²⁺ concentration allowed for the identification of two main domains of influence, characterized by marine and rising acidic waters.

这项工作描述了Santa Cesarea Terme的地球化学和水文地质特征，Santa Cesarea Terme是位于亚得里亚海海岸线（意大利南部普利亚）上的活跃的硫酸造山系统。它代表了一个非常奇特的场所，在这里，不断上升的热水和酸性水与海水混合，产生了关于CaCO _3的饱和溶液，能够溶解和腐蚀石灰石并形成洞穴。Santa Cesarea Terme系统由四个洞穴组成：Fetida，Sulfurea，Gattulla和Solfatara。这些洞穴存在表观形态和天然硫（特别是在加图拉洞穴中）和硫酸盐矿物质的大量沉积物。对Fetida和Gattulla洞穴进行了调查，主要是因为它们整年都可以通过人工入口轻松到达，而其他洞穴只能从海上到达。水的地球化学分析，洞穴空气的监测以及S，O和H稳定同位素的测量有助于确定该复杂洞穴系统中发生的主要过程。特别是Ba ²⁺和Sr ^2+的变化 浓度可以确定两个主要的影响域，其特征在于海水和上升的酸性水域。