Caves

Caves have been a source of fascination and wonder since the beginning of time. The definition of a cave is a natural opening in the ground that extends beyond the zone of light and is large enough to allow a human to enter it. This is supported by prehistoric cave paintings, and remains of early humans all over Europe. Typically, they form in soft, fractured, or soluble rock as a result of natural mechanical and chemical processes that continue over thousands of years.

The presence of caves in limestone regions may be detected by means of clues provided by the topography of the land. In such a region the roofs of large caverns may collapse and leave depressions and troughs at the surface of the ground.

Cave Types

Caves are formed in many ways. There are a variety of different types of caves. There are solutions caves, lava caves, sea caves and also, glacier caves.

(San Diego Beaches, 2012)

(San Diego Beaches, 2012)

Sea caves are carved by erosion from the water of the ocean. The constant water breaking against the rock causes the rock to weather until it makes a cave. . Ice caves are formed by melt water inside a glacier. The ice melts in the glacier and forms openings, and as more ice melts, the openings become larger, and form a cave.

(Brown, 2004)

(Brown, 2004)

Solution caves like Crystal Cave are formed by the dissolving of rock in ground water that has an increased amount of carbonic acid in it. Solution caves are formed by the action of slowly moving ground water that dissolves the rock to form tunnels. Most of these caves are formed in carbonate and sulfate rocks like those of limestone, dolomite and marble (Geology of Caves , 2000). Most of the caves in the world-as well, as the largest-are of this type.

(Caves, 2012)

(Caves, 2012)

Lava tube caves form near volcanoes. The process by which they form is when lava flows down the sides of volcanoes during an eruption, the upper layer begins to cool, and the lava beneath continues to...