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Officer's cave, a pseudokarst feature in altered tuff and volcanic ash of the John Day formation in eastern Oregon

August 1, 1964

Officer's Cave is the uppermost of four rapidly eroding cave levels constituting a cavern complex about 700 feet long developed chiefly in clay and silt. Its outer room is 35 feet by 43.5 feet by 100 feet and slopes about 45° east into the western end of a narrow linear hill called Officer's Cave Ridge. Dry valleys, blind valleys, hanging valleys, sinkholes, pipes, caves, and natural bridges are abundant. These, together with subterranean drainage, give the area a karstlike development. For such terrains the term "pseudokarst" is applied. These pseudokarsts are the product of piping and are fairly widespread over the world's drylands.

Publication Year 1964
Title Officer's cave, a pseudokarst feature in altered tuff and volcanic ash of the John Day formation in eastern Oregon
DOI 10.1130/0016-7606(1964)75[393:OCAPFI]2.0.CO;2
Authors Garald G. Parker, Lynn M. Shown, Karl W. Ratzlaff
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Geological Society of America Bulletin
Index ID 70221185
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse