The geometrical way in which stalagmites grow, which varies based on the height the water is falling from and the rate of flow, is also used in paleoclimate applications. Weaker flows and short travel distances form narrower stalagmites, while heavier flow and a greater fall distance tend to form broader ones. Additionally, drip rate counting and trace element analysis on the water drops themselves have been shown to record shorter-term variations in the climate at high resolution, such as drought conditions attributed to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate events.