Morphodynamics of Glaciolvolcanic Caves – Mount Rainier, Washington, USA
Publication Date: 2023/12/01
Publication Volume: Journal of Cave and Karst Science 85 #
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.4311/2021EX0131
Publication Keywords: Mount Rainier, Glaciovolcanic Caves, Ice Morphodynamics, Fumarolic Activity, Climatic Impact
ABSTRACT:
The twin summit craters of Mount Rainier Washington USA host the largest known glaciovolcanic caves in the world and at 4382 m the highest elevation caves in the USA. The caves are formed in ice at the glacier-rock interface by volcanogenic gases and atmospheric advection. However, the way in which discrete caves are formed and evolve remains poorly understood. Surveys of the cave systems in 1970−1973 and 1997−1998 in both the West and East Craters documented cave passage morphology. Field expeditions from 2014−2017 comprehensively surveyed the Rainier summit caves and undertook thermal imaging and temperature monitoring. Significant changes had occurred. In the East Crater documented cave length has nearly doubled since 1973 to 3593 m of passage spanning 144 m of depth, revealing a new subglacial lake and now nearly circumnavigating the East Crater. Of the reported increase in length, some 600 m of the mapped passage is possibly newly formed. Across 47 years of observation, certain sections of the cave appear to be preserved in form and position through time while others are more actively being lost or forming. Conserved passages are generally sub-horizontal passages following the curvilinear crater contours, show low temperature variability, and are dependent on perennial fumarolic activity or distributed heat flux emanating from warm bedrock and sediment floors. Transient passages are smaller diameter dendritic passages following the slope of the ice-rock interface towards entrance zones and normal to the circum-crater passage. They also show higher variability in temperature and airflow and are subject to seasonal weather and mechanical collapse which may contribute to transience. Additional research is required to confirm the mechanisms maintaining conserved passages and formation of transient passages.
SIMPLE LANGUAGE SUMMARY:
This article talks about the huge ice caves at the top of Mount Rainier in Washington, USA. These caves are the biggest and highest ice caves in the USA. They are formed by gases from the volcano and air moving around at the place where the glacier and rock meet. Scientists have been studying these caves since the 1970s. They found that the caves change a lot over time. Some parts of the caves stay the same for many years, usually where there are gases coming out of the ground that keep the temperature stable. Other parts of the caves change more often, like where the ice meets the rock and the temperature and air move around a lot. These areas can collapse or change with the seasons. They also found a new lake under the glacier and that the caves now almost go all the way around the East Crater, which is a big change from before. The scientists think they need to study more to really understand why some parts of the caves stay the same and others keep changing
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