National Speleological Society

Dates: Tuesday, March 17th OR Thursday, March 19th

Location: Online! See e-mail for the link

caves!

This week we are talking to the National Speleological Society, the largest membership organization dedicated to caves and caving. The Society was founded in 1941 and boasts more than 8,000 members and more than 250 local chapters, called grottos. The Society connects cavers dedicated to exploring, studying, and conserving caves around the world. Their mission statement (below) can be found on their website, www.caves.org.

As part of protecting caves, the National Speleological Society (NSS) manages 23 preserves to protect caves for future generations as places for research and recreation. Each preserve has a unique plan for how its resources are managed to allow access for both endeavors. You can find the plans on their site here:

Preserves - National Speleological SocietyTemplate Title Protecting The Underground The NSS began over 80 years ago as a collective of individuals interested in caves and caving. From the beginning, we recognized the need to…

You can also see a map of the preserves here:

All about caves

When you think of a cave, what comes to mind? Likely, a large cavern carved out rock with rock formations throughout. But there are actually many different types of caves. Check out the different types of formations and click the links to learn more about each type:

Solutional Caves

This is the cave most people conjure up in their minds! These are formed when rock is dissolved by acidic water, usually limestone, dolomite, marble, or gypsum.

Caves of this type are dissolved when below the water table. After the cave has drained and been exposed to air, other mineral features begin to form. You can read all about these cave formations (and see diagrams!) here:

Solution Caves - Caves and Karst (U.S. National Park Service)cave, karst

Lava Tubes

Lava tubes are formed where, gasp, lava has flowed over the surface of the earth!

The outer surface of the lava flow cools and hardens while the center remains molten and continues to flow. Once the hot lava drains out, a cave-like tube is left behind. Here are some key points about lava tubes:

To learn more about lava tubes, click here:

Lava Tubes - Formation, Facts, SafetyLearn about lava tubes in geology, including what they are, how they form, where they occur, and what wildlife lives inside them.

Sea Caves

Sea caves are formed by the ocean, or sometimes lakes, beating against coastal cliffs. They usually form at a fault or fractured zone.

There are many types of sea caves, like arches, sea stacks, punchbowls, and blowholes. Some sea caves are big enough to kayak in while others provide stunning vistas off the coastline. You can read more about all these types of caves here: https://caves.org/sea-caves/

If you feel like an oceanside trip around California, you can check out the 13 best sea caves to visit in California here:

13 Best Sea Caves To Visit In California | California WanderlandIf you’re looking for something fun and unique to do, check out this post to discover all of the best sea caves to visit in California!

Erosional Caves

These caves are formed by water or wind that carry abrasive particles that carve down rock over time. These caves can be found in almost any kind of rock, including hard granite and even limestone.

Erosion tends to produce tall, canyon like passages. You can explore (ha) the different kinds of these caves here: https://caves.org/erosional-caves/

Glacier Caves

These caves, unsurprisingly, are formed in ice, typically occurring in glaciers. They are usually formed from flowing water through the glacier. The caves are enlarged over time through erosion and melting.

Glacier caves change from year to year. Many glacier cave systems have disappeared around the world as glaciers melt and retreat as a result of global warming. To learn more about the people who explore and study these glacier caves, check out Glacier Cave Explorers here:

Salt Caves

Most caves are formed out of rock, but there are some parts of the world where caves are carved out of salt! The biggest salt caves are found in very arid regions like the Atacama Desert in Chile, Israel, and Iran.

Unlike other caves dissolved by acidity, salt caves are formed and dissolved with simple water.

To learn more about salt caves, check here to see where they are located around the world:

Where are the Salt Caves Located in the World? - Salt Library - Koyuncu SaltYou can discover how salt caves are formed, where they are mostly located, and much more in our article.

To continue exploring cave types and all of the different formations and features in caves, check out the virtual caves here: https://caves.org/virtualcave/

video exploration

Want to see some caves without jumping into them?

Check out this travel documentary on Canada’s hidden caves here.

To learn more about the ecosystems in these fascinating caves, check out this 13 minute National Geographic video:

Tune in this week to learn even more about caves and exploration!

works cited

https://sciencenotes.org/lava-tubes-formation-facts-safety/

https://www.koyuncusalt.com/en/salt-library/salt-caves

https://usaheaven.com/articles/deepest-caves-usa

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