2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
|
|
|
|
|
<html lang="en">
|
|
|
|
|
<head><title>GSAB: CTS ref. 78.2008 (in English translation)</title>
|
|
|
|
|
<LINK rel="alternate" lang="fr" href="../fr/782008.htm"
|
|
|
|
|
title="Gouffre Ovni">
|
2004-04-21 10:35:34 +01:00
|
|
|
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../../css/main2.css" />
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
</head>
|
|
|
|
|
<body>
|
|
|
|
|
<center><font size=-1>(<acronym>GSAB</acronym>) <b lang="fr">Spéalp</b> 2 (1978) pp 14-19</font>
|
|
|
|
|
<h1 lang="fr">GOUFFRE OVNI</h1></center>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The summer <acronym>GSAB</acronym> expedition to the <span lang="de">Totes
|
|
|
|
|
Gebirge</span> has allowed the exploration of this new cave of 565m depth.
|
|
|
|
|
Certainly, it is a little eclipsed by its two neighbours
|
|
|
|
|
(<b lang="de">Kelli</b> and <b lang="fr">Empégadure</b>) but it
|
|
|
|
|
remains no less of an accomplishment for a young team, only just broken into
|
|
|
|
|
their first large-scale trip.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>For the location and discovery details, see the report in
|
|
|
|
|
<b lang="fr">Spéalp</b> <acronym>GSAB-SSS</acronym>
|
|
|
|
|
<a href="782012.htm">number 1</a>.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h2>Description</h2>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The entrance, a bedding plane unblocked because of a draught, gives access
|
|
|
|
|
to a series of short pitches, dry at the start, which get bigger, deeper,
|
|
|
|
|
wider and wetter. The first exploration of 1976 had reconnoitred to -200m to
|
|
|
|
|
the base of a 40m pitch (<b>The Black Hole</b>). The explorers of this year
|
|
|
|
|
started on the descent of a fine 60m pitch of constant shape, slightly
|
|
|
|
|
sloping. At the bottom of this is the only chamber of the cave : <b>The
|
|
|
|
|
Galactic Hall</b>. Here the cave splits into two routes, the active and the
|
|
|
|
|
fossil.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3>Active system</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Downstream from the chamber a drop leads to a small chamber among
|
|
|
|
|
boulders, the <b>Love Nest</b>. (No idea who ventured to call it this[?])
|
|
|
|
|
Between the boulders a 20m pitch opens, immediately followed by a 25m pitch.
|
|
|
|
|
In fact, the last 25m of descent drops between the walls of an immense aven
|
|
|
|
|
to land on a flat gravel floor. A diagonal chimney leads to a trickle of
|
|
|
|
|
water.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>A fissure marks the start of the <b>Anti-matter meander</b>, where one
|
|
|
|
|
immediately rejoins the underground stream. This has an average flow of two
|
|
|
|
|
litres per second but quite rapidly increases to 10-15 litres per second in
|
|
|
|
|
flood. The first part of the meander is straight and interrupted by 3 small
|
|
|
|
|
pitches and two drops. At the top of the first, in the roof, is the
|
|
|
|
|
connection with the fossil system. Quickly, the meander becomes less
|
|
|
|
|
amenable: high and narrow, it is plastered with mud (the anti-matter) which
|
|
|
|
|
makes progress quite arduous. Three pitches of 5, 14 and 10, punctuate
|
|
|
|
|
progress. This last, followed by a drop of 3m, gives access to a section of
|
|
|
|
|
passage blocked by clay. At the end of this, the stream disappers into a
|
|
|
|
|
fissure with tight impenetrable bends. The passage is continued by a quite
|
|
|
|
|
large fossil branch. After some 50m, the draught goes into an earthy hole,
|
|
|
|
|
the start of a big pitch of 70m in several stages.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Halfway down, the pitch is rejoined by the stream which is avoided by a
|
|
|
|
|
parallel fossil pitch. There immediately follows another pitch of 55m,
|
|
|
|
|
totally wet and characterised by an elliptical cross-section and constant
|
|
|
|
|
slope. At the bottom, the water is engulfed by a fissure about three metres
|
|
|
|
|
long, followed by a tight meander which we haven't pushed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3>Fossil system</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Upstream from the Galactic Hall, a window some metres high gives access to
|
|
|
|
|
a good-sized passage (3x3m on average), the <b>Little Green Men's
|
|
|
|
|
passage</b>. One comes up against a climb of 3m at the base of which the
|
|
|
|
|
trickle of water is lost into a meander cut below the fossil passage (see
|
|
|
|
|
below). After a narrowing and a climb, the passage ends in boulders between
|
|
|
|
|
which it is still possible to penetrate for a dozen metres.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Back in the meander below the fossil passage: this ends at the
|
|
|
|
|
<b><span lang="fr">Gomette</span> pitch</b> (discovered by the <span
|
|
|
|
|
lang="fr">Gaumais</span>), a 60m pitch, spray-lashed in its lower part by
|
|
|
|
|
"the wee-wee". At the base of this pitch is the beginning of the <b>Mutants'
|
|
|
|
|
meander</b>. This is a passage for masochists <span lang="fr">par
|
|
|
|
|
excellence</span>: at the bottom, tight and suit-snagging. It ends in a
|
|
|
|
|
series of climbs and a 30m pitch joining the active system.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h2>Geology</h2>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3>General</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>From the geological point of view, the <span lang="fr">Gouffre Ovni</span>
|
|
|
|
|
is a typical example of the karstic phenomena of the massif, and likewise of
|
|
|
|
|
the greater part of the karst of Austria. There isn't a zone of pitches
|
|
|
|
|
leading to a master-cave on an impermeable bed (of the Pyrenean type) nor
|
|
|
|
|
tight vertical caves (of the <span lang="fr">Vercors</span> or <span
|
|
|
|
|
lang="fr">Chartreuse</span> type). The primary factors in the formation are
|
|
|
|
|
the intense orogenic fracturing combined with a very wet climate and heavy
|
|
|
|
|
snow-falls since the start of the era.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>These caves generally open by virtue of the simple form of the
|
|
|
|
|
discontinuities in the limestones (joints, bedding-planes). Then they enlarge
|
|
|
|
|
more and more by following the larger-scale phenomena (faults,
|
|
|
|
|
master-joints). The master-cave, when it exists, is generally only short and
|
|
|
|
|
near the resurgence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3 lang="fr">Gouffre Ovni</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The entrance is in a bedding plane open for about two metres. There
|
|
|
|
|
follows a series of pitches, quite small, formed in a quite sinuous joint and
|
|
|
|
|
enlarged on bedding planes and very strong [<span lang="fr">pendage</span> -
|
|
|
|
|
dictionary failure] in this zone. At about -200m, the influence of another
|
|
|
|
|
factor starts to be felt. The pitches become bigger and bigger and the walls
|
|
|
|
|
cleaner and cleaner. This section is characterised by a fault running roughly
|
|
|
|
|
East-West (see figure 1).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><center><img alt="fig. 1, 3k gif" width=512 height=128
|
2001-08-16 13:43:09 +01:00
|
|
|
src="../ovnif1.png"></center>
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>This fault controls the major part of the formation of the cave. In
|
|
|
|
|
effect, the course of the cave is hollowed out of different levels of this
|
|
|
|
|
fault. (figure 2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><img alt="fig. 2, 3k gif" width=275 height=385 align="left" hspace=10
|
2001-08-16 13:43:09 +01:00
|
|
|
vspace=10 src="../ovnif2.png">
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<b>Figure 2: Plan of the fault</b>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
|
|
|
<li>1st The Zorglub pitch and the Father Christmas chimneys.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>2nd The Galactic Hall and the first third of the Little Green Men's
|
|
|
|
|
passage (the other two thirds lie on bedding planes).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>3rd The pitch to pass [?] the time and the
|
|
|
|
|
<span lang="fr">Gaumette</span> pitch with the Mutants' meander.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>4th The major part of the Anti-matter meander (the unwedging of this
|
|
|
|
|
part [?]) by connection with the rest (plan) is [complete translation
|
|
|
|
|
failure - something about the fault being broken ?]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
|
<br clear="all">
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Following the large part of the Anti-matter meander, a very narrow zone
|
|
|
|
|
marks the junction with a second fault orientated <acronym>SE-NW</acronym>
|
|
|
|
|
which controls the rest of the cave. [next sentence is real gobbledegook to
|
|
|
|
|
me unless there is a misprint in the french ?] One rotted to believe
|
|
|
|
|
conspicuously the survey, which concerns a meander in a joint seen its
|
|
|
|
|
sinuosity [???]. In fact, the straight part and space of this fault is
|
|
|
|
|
impracticable because it overhangs continually a perpendicular of 6m whence
|
|
|
|
|
the lips are sloping and muddy. One is therefore obliged to borrow the bottom
|
|
|
|
|
in [<span lang="fr">surcreusement</span> - what a time for a dictionary
|
|
|
|
|
failure !]. More unwavering [lots of alternative translations for this word -
|
|
|
|
|
none make much sense] by an unhooking where the stream destroys itself [sinks
|
|
|
|
|
?]. The passage continues in the same direction always controlled by the
|
|
|
|
|
jointing/faulting. The zone of pitches which follows develops equally in the
|
|
|
|
|
lower part of the fault; [<span lang="fr">elle ait</span> is the present
|
|
|
|
|
subjunctive of <span lang="fr">avoir</span> - what the fuck does present
|
|
|
|
|
subjunctive translate as ?] well what/as/who/as/how has the appearance of a
|
|
|
|
|
forced conduit [phreatic passage/lift ?]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3>Possibilities for continuation</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As one the remark to the observation of the survey, the main passage
|
|
|
|
|
continues unexplored. It appears that [present subjunctive of to be] in the
|
|
|
|
|
presence of a simple phenomenon of regression and so logically one should
|
|
|
|
|
find another series of fossil pitches dropping to the base level. (figures 3
|
|
|
|
|
and 4)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<center><p><img alt="Fig. 3 - 5k gif" width=460 height=480
|
2001-08-16 13:43:09 +01:00
|
|
|
src="ovnif3.png"><p><img alt="Fig. 4 - 3k gif" width=320 height=340
|
|
|
|
|
src="ovnif4.png"></center>
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The strength [power, force ?] of the <span lang="de">Dachsteinkalk</span>
|
|
|
|
|
(granular Jurassic limestone) lies next to the 700m from the entrance. [??]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3>Meteorologie</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><img alt="fig. 5 - 2k gif" width=265 height=435 align=right hspace=10
|
2001-08-16 13:43:09 +01:00
|
|
|
vspace=0 src="../ovnif5.png">
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
<b>Figure 5: Diagram of the draughts at the principal points of
|
|
|
|
|
perception:</b>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As we have already said, there is a strong draught which drew our
|
|
|
|
|
attention to Ovni. This draught was blowing in a hot period (summer) [so] we
|
|
|
|
|
logically [expected] to find the presence of an intermediate entrance. Seeing
|
|
|
|
|
the strength of the cold draught [<span lang="fr">chassé</span>], the
|
|
|
|
|
existence of an upper entrance is fairly certain. Prospecting on the hillock
|
|
|
|
|
above the entrance didn't yield results. It concerns there of an objective to
|
|
|
|
|
see again because the vegetation and the snakes didn't permit us to operate
|
|
|
|
|
an efficient search pattern.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The junction with this higher entrance must be at the level of the Little
|
|
|
|
|
Green Men's passage; either by the wet chimney at the bottom of the 1st fault
|
|
|
|
|
or in the roof of 2/3, there where the draught is lost. For the other part,
|
|
|
|
|
the presence at the bottom of another strong draught, suggests a lower
|
|
|
|
|
entrance, probably a fossil resurgence. Nevertheless these are only
|
|
|
|
|
suppositions, the caprices of a draught are very difficult to deal with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<br clear="all">
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>One sees from this brief analysis of the cave that the chances of a
|
|
|
|
|
continuation aren't minimal. Now this cave isn't extremely difficult of
|
|
|
|
|
access or of exploration. The work [god knows - rotted to be there mend] very
|
|
|
|
|
soon, but it is nevertheless a secondary objective compared with other
|
|
|
|
|
Austrian possibilities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p lang="fr">G Feller <acronym>GSAB</acronym>
|
2004-04-29 16:24:54 +01:00
|
|
|
<hr />
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
<!-- LINKS -->
|
2004-04-29 16:24:54 +01:00
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><a href="../index.htm">GSAB articles list</a></li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><span lang="fr">Gouffre Ovni</span> :
|
|
|
|
|
<a href="../../../noinfo/1626/122.htm">description</a>, in English</li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><a href="../../../1626/index.htm">Overview</a>
|
|
|
|
|
of area 1626, and index to caves</li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Back to <a href="../../../index.htm">Expedition Intro page</a></li>
|
2004-04-30 22:56:57 +01:00
|
|
|
<li><a href="../../../../index.htm">Back to CUCC Home page</a></li>
|
2004-04-29 16:24:54 +01:00
|
|
|
</ul>
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
</body>
|
|
|
|
|
</html>
|
