caverns
Caverns are large, naturally occurring subterranean voids, typically formed in soluble rocks such as limestone, dolostone, or gypsum. They are parts of larger cave systems and are characterized by spacious chambers and complex passage networks. Caverns develop over long timescales through geological processes, especially the dissolution of rock by mildly acidic groundwater, a process known as karstification. In volcanic regions, caverns can form as lava creates empty tubes when molten rock flows and drains away.
Dissolution leads to enlarging joints and fractures; secondary features create speleothems as minerals precipitate from dripping
Common surface features include stalactites hanging from ceilings, stalagmites rising from floors, columns formed when they
Cave environments host adapted organisms, including troglobionts that lack light and feed on detritus or chemosynthetically
Caverns have long been explored for science and recreation. Speleology studies their formations, hydrology, and biology;