We explain what caving is, its history and relationship with other disciplines. Also, characteristics of each type of caving.
What is caving?
Caving It is the science that is dedicated to studying the natural cavities of the earth's subsoil that is, the caverns, grottos and underground water courses. It is a discipline that is part of geomorphology, although there are also those who link it with a sports or recreational practice, known as caving.
However, it is not only the recreational or sporting aspect that interests caving, since its journey through caves, grottoes and other underground formations provides enormous amounts of information to hydrogeology, geography, biology and even archeology and paleontology. At the same time, there is lifesaving in the cave context, known as speleosocorro.
As can be seen, caving is a complex field of practical and theoretical knowledge (especially geological, geochemical and geobiological) in which complex topographic descriptions are carried out and all kinds of underground discoveries are cataloged: minerals, life forms ( especially animal and microscopic), fossil finds, etc.
His formal practice began in 1895 when the French lawyer and nature enthusiast Édouard-Alfred Martel (1859-1938), considered the father of the discipline, founded the Speleological Society of France.
Since then it has been carried out throughout the world and with great interest, given that the depths of the Earth's crust are still little known to humanity. Some notable names in this discipline were those of the French volcanologist Haroun Tazieff (1914-1998), the Spanish geologist Noel Llopis Lladó (1911-1968) and the Ukrainian speleologist Guennadi Samojin.
See also: Topography
Types of caving
Depending on its context and, therefore, its practices, caving can be classified into:
- Karst caving That which takes place in large underground cavities, usually generated by the activity of water in the most soluble rock massifs (limestone or dolomite), or in gypsum, saline massifs or even under glaciers. Its name comes from the Slovenian word karswhich is the name given to the stony and sterile lands, typical of cold latitudes.
- Volcanic caving That which takes place in volcanic cavities, that is, those created by volcanic magma during eruptions or violent tectonic movements, or by movements of the materials of the volcanic regions, which give rise to the so-called “lava tubes”. Contrary to the karsthese underground cavities are usually less steep and drier and warmer, but at the same time made of more complicated and rough materials.
- Spelediving That which takes place in flooded or underwater caves, that is, diving in submerged caves. It is the most complex and challenging practice of caving, and one of the riskiest activities in underground study, requiring complex and specialized equipment, as well as specialists both in caving matters and in the practice of underwater work.
Continue with: Geology
References
- “Caving” on Wikipedia.
- “Speleology” in the Dictionary of the language of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Caving: in the kingdom of darkness” in Oxígeno Magazine.
- “What is speleology?” at Wisconsin Speleology Society (USA).
- “Speleology (geology and hydrology)” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
