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Cave climate data in Wood Valley pit crater, Hawai'i

Published by U.S. Geological Survey | Department of the Interior | Metadata Last Checked: January 27, 2026 | Last Modified: 2024-08-29T00:00:00Z
Wood Valley Pit Crater is a nearly circular pit approximately 50m across and 50m deep with vertical walls. This pit is of particular interest because it hosts access to a cave entrance at its base, providing an opportunity to monitor cave climate throughout a type of cave structure that is ordinarily inaccessible. In-situ cave climate observations included cold trapping, cave breathing, possible effects from geothermal heating, and cave fog possibly induced by atmospheric thermal tides. Sensors were emplaced throughout the cave to continuously monitor variations of temperature, atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity.

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