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For this earthcache, you are going to visit a great cave, named
Cliff Cave.
While there, you are going to perform a field exercise. You will
need a thermometer that is capable of measuring outdoor air
temperatures. You will also need a camera. These items are
required for you to ultimately claim a find, so please plan and
come prepared.
Warning
Under no normal circumstances should you attempt to enter the cave.
It is dangerous inside. The cave is protected within Cliff Cave
County Park, and can only be explored by permit from the St. Louis
County Department of Parks and Recreation.
How Caves Are Formed
Caves are formed in many ways. By far, the most common way is by
the dissolution of sedimentary rock by acidic water. There are
other forces that can create caves. Following are the descriptions
of several.
Solution Caves - By far, the most common caves are solution
caves. These caves are formed through the interaction of air,
water, soil, and rock. They usually form in areas where the
dominant rock is limestone, a type of sedimentary rock. Many
solution caves feature streams and lakes and unusual mineral
formations. Typically, a cave like this forms over a period of
several million years.
Slump Caves - Slumping, in geological terms, occurs when
large sections of rock or a land mass moves its position away from
or toward other sections of rock or land mass, usually in the
direction of a downslope. The speed for this movement is typically
very very slow, however, quick changes can occur, especially with
the occurrence of earthquake activity or frequent flooding. Slump
caves can be formed when two large sections of rock move together
and voids occur between the sections.
Sea Caves - Over time, waves crashing against the base of a
cliff can form a sea cave. A sea cave forms along a vertical zone
of weakness in the rock, perhaps a crack or an area of softer rock.
The erosive power of the waves wear away the rock, creating an
opening that can deepen and expand with an overhang where the cliff
rises above the waves. Sea caves are typically found in sedimentary
rock such as sandstone and limestone. They are less commonly formed
in hard rock such as granite.
Lava Caves - Lava, which is molten rock on the surface of
the earth, can create long intricate cave systems. When lava flows,
it typically flows down a slope in a shape that resembles a long
skinny tongue. The "tongue" is a channel of flowing lava, with the
hotter, faster-flowing lava in the center of the channel and the
cooling lava closer to the edges of the channel. The cooling lava
on the edges solidifies, forming walls and eventually a "crust"
over the top of the lava flow. When the eruption stops, the
remaining lava flows out of the voids and a tube-like cave remains.
Additional lava flows can occur over the top of the cave, burying
the cave deeper and deeper.
Bacteria-formed Caves - There are bacteria that thrive on
oil deposits deep within the earth. These bacteria, which are named
extremophiles because they thrive in extreme conditions, expel a
gas that combines with oxygen to create sulfuric acid. This highly
corrosive acid eats away at limestone, leaving behind gypsum, and
creating the large voids of caves. This bacterial process can feed
upon itself, with some of the bacteria eating the byproducts and
other minerals, accelerate the formation of caves.
Manmade - The word "cave" implies a feature created by
natural forces, therefore there really is no such thing as a
manmade cave. We have other words to describe the holes that humans
have created in the earth. Humans have dug holes for many reasons,
including shelter, passage, mining, disposal, battle, escape,
etc.
Basic Geology Of Cliff Cave
Cliff Cave is a solution cave. It is formed from rock from the St.
Louis Limestone formation from the Mississippian Period. The
limestone rock is 362 to 320 million years old. The cave was formed
during the Ice Age, and the best theories have the cave formation
starting during either the Yarmoth Interglacial Period (300,000 to
600,000 years ago) or the Aftonian Interglacial Period (700,000 to
900,000 years ago).
The current mapping of the cave from the Missouri Geological
Survey, Rolla, defines the cave's length as 4726 feet. The cave has
four separate entrances, and contains many interesting geological
formations inside, such as a natural bridge, falls, domes, tubes,
etc. However, the cave has very few "typical" Ozark cave formations
such as flowstone, stalactites or stalagmites.
Basic History Of Cliff Cave
The cave is believed to have been discovered and used by humans as
early as 7850 BC. The cave has a lot of Native American history, so
much so that it is sometimes called Indian Cave. The cave has
history with the Osage, Illini, Chickasaw. and Choctaw. The Osage
and Illini saw the cave as sacred, likely because in winter months,
the cave emits a visible mist through its openings, a sign to the
people of the presence of the spirit being.
From 1830 to 1880, the Cliff Cave Wine Company used the cave to
store and age wine. The man-made brickwork and masonry that you see
there was constructed by the wine company. In the 1910s,
Anheuser-Busch stored beer in the cave.
In the 1920s, the Mob dumped bodies in the cave. From the 1700s
through just recently, the cave has always periodically been the
site for recreational activities, crime, and debauchery.
In 1993, a number of counselors and children were killed when,
during an exploration outing, they were trapped in the cave by a
flash flood. In recent history, there have been repeated
occurrences of people becoming lost inside the cave.
Basic Ecology Of Cliff Cave
Currently, the cave stream is almost dead and supports only a few
frogs and cave isopods. In the past, before urban pollution
destroyed the fragile habitat of the cave, it supported albino
crayfish, albino salamanders, and blind fish. The Big Brown Bat and
the Eastern Pipistrelle (bat) still live in the cave.
Vandalism, uncontrolled digging and excavation, spray painting, and
pollution have taken a toll on the natural appearance and habitat
of the cave.
LOGGING
REQUIREMENTS:
According to Earthcache rules, in order to claim the find, you must
perform an educational task. So, I ask that you do the
following:
Requirement 1: Measure The Temperature Difference
This is a big cave, and when you approach the posted coordinates,
you are going to notice a temperature difference in the air flowing
from the cave. Especially if it is a hot day, you are going to feel
much cooler air. If it is a cold day, the air will be warmer
andbalmier as you approach.
When you reach the posted coordinates, place your thermometer such
that it is in the air flow from the cave, away from direct
sunlight. Leave it there for ten minutes and then record the
measured temperature.
Now, back at the parking lot, do the same. Place the thermometer in
the grass next to the parking lot (away from direct sunlight, and
not on the hood of your car), and leave it there for ten minutes.
Then record the measured temperature at that location.
Compare the two measurements. What is the temperature
difference?
Requirement 2: Find Some Answers
Not far from the cave, you will find an interpretive display that
describes cave formation and geology. The display is located at
N38° 27.525 W090° 17.265. From that display, find answers to the
following questions.
1. Most cave passages contain a material which consists of deposits
that are washed into the cave, such as sand, gravel, or clay. What
is material known as?
2. The study of caves is called speleology. According to the
display, what four fields of science is it based on?
Requirement 3: Email
Send me an email through gc.com that provides your temperature
readings and answers.
Requirement 4: Photo
Post a photo of yourself with the entrance of the cave in the
background. Post your photo on the cache page with your find
log.The photo should clearly show that you were present at the
cave. I do not care about your GPSr appearing in the photo.
Post your photos with your online log, and email me with your
answers. Logs not accompanied by email and photo within a
reasonable amount of time will be deleted per Earthcache
rules.
Have lots of fun!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)