There are a number of terms that are used in connection with caves, caving and speleology. The following is an incomplete list.
Contents
A
- Airbell An enclosed air space in a flooded tube between the water and the roof
- Anthodite
Main article: Anthodite
A speleothem (cave formation) composed of long needle-like crystals situated in clusters which radiate outward from a common base.
B
- Belly crawl
- A passage that is very low.
- Biospeleology
Main article: Biospeleology
A branch of biology dedicated to the study of organisms that live in caves and are collectively referred to as troglofauna.- Boneyard
- An intricate maze of limestone with many holes where material has dissolved away.
- Boulder choke
Main article: Boulder choke
A collection of large rocks or rubble that obstructs the passage of a cave or mine. In order to progress through passages, cavers often need to negotiate or clear boulder chokes.- Buffoon
- Also called a speleo-buffoon or cave-buffoon, a derogatory term referring to cavers who are unprepared and make poor decisions.
C
- Cave conservancy
Main article: Cave conservancy
A specialized land trust that primarily manages caves or karst features in the United States.- Cave digging
Main article: Cave digging
The practice of enlarging undiscovered cave openings to allow entry.- Caver
- Someone who explores caves for recreation, a synonym for spelunker
- Caving
- The sport of exploring caves, a synonym for spelunking
- Cupola
Main article: Cupola (cave formation)
Recess, indentation, or cavity in the ceiling of a lava tube, a kind of cave formation.
K
- Karst
Main article: Karst
A landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks.
P
- Pit
- A vertical space for which ascending or rappelling equipment is required.
- Pseudokarst
Main article: Pseudokarst
Similar to karsts, but created by different mechanisms.
R
- Cave rescue
Main article: Cave rescue
A highly specialized field of wilderness rescue in which injured, trapped or lost cave explorers are medically treated and extracted from various cave environments.- Resurgence
Main article: Resurgence (spring)
The point where water emerges from an aquifer.
S
- Speleogen
Main article: Speleogen
A geological formation within a cave that has been created by the removal of bedrock, rather than as a secondary deposit.- Speleogenesis
Main article: Speleogenesis
The origin and development of caves, the primary process that determines essential features of the hydrogeology of karst and guides its evolution.- Speleothem
Main article: Speleothem
Geological formation by mineral deposits that accumulate over time in natural caves- Spelunker
- Someone who explores caves as a hobby, a synonym for caver
- Spelunking
Main article: Spelunking
Exploring caves as a hobby, a synonym for caving- Squeeze
- A tight passage.
- Stygofauna
Main article: Stygofauna
Small aquatic animals living in caves and aquifers.- Sump
Main article: Sump (cave)
A cave that is submerged under water. A sump may be static, with no inward or outward flow, or active, with continuous through-flow. Static sumps may also be connected underwater to active stream passage. When short in length, a sump may be called a duck.- Suspension trauma
Main article: Suspension trauma
Also known as harness hang syndrome (HHS), or orthostatic intolerance, is an effect which occurs when the human body is held upright without any movement for a period of time.- Swallow-hole
Main article: Swallow-hole
The point where water drains from the surface into a cave system.
T
- Terrace
- A series of dams made of rimstone that slopes gently.
- Troglobite
See also: List of troglobites
An animal that lives entirely in the dark parts of caves- Troglofauna
Main article: Troglofauna
Small, non-aquatic cave-dwelling animals.
W
- Whaletail
- A type of descender produced from a block of aluminium that applies a variable degree of friction.
- Window
- A hole in a thin wall that connects two chambers or passages.
See also
References
- "Natural Entrance Self-Guided Tour". National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2017-09-29.
- ^ "Caves & Caving: Glossary". uppercumberlandcaving.net.
- "caver". dictionary.cambridge.org.
- "What You Need to Know About Spelunking". Travel Channel.
- ^ "The Western Australian Speleological Group". www.wasg.org.au.
External links
- A Lexicon of Cave and Karst Terminology with Special Reference to Environmental Karst Hydrology (PDF) -- A free, comprehensive dictionary of caving and speleological terms.
| Cave topics | |
|---|---|
| Glossary of caving and speleology | |
| Main topics | |
| Types and formation processes | |
| Speleothems and Speleogens (Cave formations) | |
| Dwellings | |
| Popular culture | |
| Incidents | |