The grid clipping method demands that separate 2-D grids be calculated that model the upper and lower surfaces of the cave system. A polygon must also be calculated that traces the walls of the cave. The accuracy of the model is very dependent on the accuracy of each of the component grids. Once these grids are calculated, a 3-D grid of any parameter measured in the cave system can be clipped to reveal the geometry of the cave and the trend of the modeled parameter throughout the system.
The predictably layered grid block shown above was constructed from depth measurements taken throughout A, K, and M tunnels. In the future, I hope to construct visual models with other types of data such as water chemistry, velocity, or temperature. As more researchers turn to phreatic caves, more data will become available to model. On the right, a Hydrolab is being connected to a diver’s tanks to collect water chemistry measurements.
