The importance of air temperature as a key parameter to identify climatic processes inside Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico, USA

The meteorological and climatic conditions in Carlsbad Cavern are very complex. The huge rooms and the large entrance area, in combination with smaller connection tunnels and remote chambers, cause a complexity of different microclimates side by side. As in the case of most others, Carlsbad Cavern is not easy to classify as a barometric or a convective cave system. The objective of this paper is to explain the climate at different positions inside Carlsbad Cavern by evaluating a series of measurements taken during the year 2013. The air temperature will be used as a key parameter for the analysis. We will identify the thermal- or convection-driven influences, as well as some clear barometric effects and underline the importance of air temperature for cave climate research. We will also investigate the influence of the tourist use of the cave, which means the visitors themselves, as well as the elevators, the cafeteria, and the electrical system and lights. Because the analyzed time period includes the time of the government shutdown in 2013, the artificial effects can be identified very easily.