Arthur Range (New Zealand)

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The Wharepapa / Arthur Range is an up to 1,809 m high mountain range in New Zealand , on the eastern flank of which the two connected cave systems Nettlebed Cave and Stormy Pot are located. At 1,174 m, they are considered to be the deepest cave system in New Zealand and the southern hemisphere .

geography

The Arthur Range, which runs to the northeast, is located in the northwestern part of the South Island of New Zealand. To the northwest of the Arthur Range are the Tasman Mountains and the Locket Range, to the west the Herbert Range borders, in the northeast the mountain range runs out into Tasman Bay and in the southeast a fertile plain extends to Nelson . The highest mountains in the mountain range are The Twins at 1,826 m and 1,807 m , followed by the 1,795 m high Mount Arthur , who gave the mountain range its name. The Arthur Range is part of the Kahurangi National Park and is located in its southeastern part.

geology

The Arthur Range date from the Paleozoic Era . The mountain range formed from a northeast running fault, the rock of which was formed from petrified sediments. Within the rock layers are limestone layers called Arthur Marble ( Arthur Marble). In these layers, several cave systems have been formed by washing, which are among the deepest and longest cave systems in New Zealand, such as the Nettlebed Cave together with Stormy Pot , the Ellis Basin System and seven other less significant systems.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Topo250 maps . Land Information New Zealand , accessed August 11, 2017 .
  2. ^ A b Deepest New Zealand Caves . New Zealand Speleological Society , archived from the original on January 22, 2009 ; accessed on May 23, 2014 (English).
  3. ↑ Steve Deane : Cavers discover our deepest secret . The New Zealand Herald (Online) , February 1, 2014, accessed May 24, 2014 .
  4. ^ Stephen RH Worthington : Hydraulic and geological factors influencing conduit flow depth . In: Speleogenesis and Evolution of Karst Aquifers . Volume 3, Issue 1 . Commission on Karst Hydrogeology and Speleogenesis, Union International of Speleology , 2005, ISSN 1814-294X ( Online [PDF; 784   kB ; accessed on November 26, 2018]).
  5. ^ Anne C. Wright : Aspects of the geology and hydrology of Nettlebed Cave, Nelson, New Zealand . In: Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand . Volume 12, Issue 2 . Royal Society of New Zealand , Wellington 1982, pp.  143–157 , doi : 10.1080 / 03036758.1982.10419437 .
  6. ^ Longest New Zealand Caves . New Zealand Speleological Society , archived from the original January 8, 2008 ; accessed on May 23, 2014 (English).

Coordinates: 41 ° 13 '  S , 172 ° 41'  E