Joel Despain
Other Forest Service
My favorite scientific experiences involve understanding the geomorphic history of a given cave or cave area. Some geomorphic questions are, “Why did the cave form, and why did it form with these particular shapes and patterns? Is it random?”
It turns out that caves form in specific ways that tell us about past conditions. The history of the cave, the structure of the rock, the hydrology of the region, the gradient, and other factors all play big roles. Cave geologists are determining different types of caves and how they develop with greater precision every year. They do this through a better understanding of the shapes, forms, and patterns found within caves. This research is creating a much better understanding of caves that then informs our understanding and knowledge of regional geology and geologic history.
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