Caves and Pits from the Azores With Some Comments on Their Geological Origin, Distribution, and Fauna.

Borges, Paulo A. V.; Silva, A.; Pereira, Fernando E. A.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/1850

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Authors

Borges, Paulo A. V.

Silva, A.

Pereira, Fernando E. A.

Abstract(s)

In 1989 Ogawa published an account of the distribution of volcanic caves and pits from the Azores. Further work in the last few yeas justifies an updating of the information. Ogawa listed 33 caves and 7 pits; now these numbers are 88 and 24. In this paper the caves and pits are listed according to their occurrence in the islands of the archipelago: Corvo (1;0), Flores (0;0), Faial (3;1), Pico (28;8), Graciosa 16;1), São Jorge (7;5), Terceira (20;6), São Miguel (10;3) and Santa Maria (3;0). Some data on the location, length, elevation, and fauna of each cave and pit are also given. During recent speleological expeditions by Os Montanheiros to the islands of Faial, Pico, Graciosa, São Jorge, Terceira, São Miguel, and Santa Maria over 10,000 meters of lava tubes and 400 meters of pits were surveyed and a total of 17 new maps are presented in this work. The longest lava tube, Torres Cave (Pico), is 3,350 meters long, 15 meters high and 22 meters wide. The biggest pit, Algar do Montoso (São Jorge), is 137,5 meters deep. Presently 75% of the known caves have less than 300 meters. Some caves really belong to à single longitudinal lava tube broken into different sections. We also present some comments on-the more re1evant characteristics of each of the main caves and the distribution of lava tubes, pits, and related lava flows in each island. A short narrative of Azorean geology and some information for the preservation of the caves as well as some comments on the relict hypogeum fauna are also provided.

Description

6th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology. Hilo, Hawaii, August 1991.

Keywords

Volcanic Caves Volcanic Pits Azores

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/1850

Citation

Borges, P.A.V., Silva, A. & Pereira, F (1992). Caves and pits from the Azores with some comments on their geological origin, distribution, and fauna. Proceedings of the "6th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology" (Hilo, Hawaii, August 1991): pp. 121-151.