I'm working on writing a cave description and am interested in the control of its orientation. For 2800', the main passage is almost perfectly straight, and where it isn't clogged with clay or breakdown, "ceiling heights" range from 50' - 90'. The passage is relatively narrow, 10' - 25' wide and smaller toward the ceiling (which is never really seen, just a continually shrinking crack). So far, none of the minor passages diverge from the trend of the main cave, but parrallel it. The passage leans to the left a bit, on the way in, I wanted to call it 11-O'clock Cave but it already had a name. My questions: Is jointing commonly responsible for passage so large, and so straight over such distances? Palmers Cave Geology says that faulting is not usually a major factor in cave orientation, but how do I rule out the possibility?
Probably these are commonplace circumstances, but I've been in tiny caves for too long, and I don't know nothin'.
Thanks!