This seems like a potentially great use case for robots. I wonder if any cave exploration teams have used robots to map and survey cave systems.
Another branch of study is the discovery of subsurface voids from the surface using ground-penetrating radar, microgravity, electrical resistivity, or other geophysical methods. A robot could be equipped with the sensors in dangerous or inaccessible locations, such as off-planet or war zones. DARPA had an interest in this in the early 2000s to locate hostiles in caves, though I do not know its current priority.
In May 2005, the DEPTHX team lowered a 32-sonar probe, called the DropSonde, into Zacaton to a depth ´ of 200m (Figure 1) (Fairfield et al. 2006). A similar probe, called the Digital Wall Mapper (DWM) was used in 1998-1999 to map several kilometers of the Wakulla Springs cave system in Florida (Stone et al. 2000). The DWM was a diver-driven sensor sled, and the DropSonde was simply lowered on a cable from a barge. Both probes were based around a ring laser gyro IMU, two depth sensors, and a ring of 32 pencil beam sonars arrayed radially
The first author is a principal engineer at Waymo and has been at google since 2009.
They're literally drilling holes into the wall in one of the photos. Not exactly 'leave nothing but footprints' is it?
The same as climbers who drill bolts - I'm not sure why they excuse themselves from the most basic of the outdoor codes.
Tourists, who visit "show caves", caves made reasonably safe for average people to visit.
Spelunkers are average untrained people who on a lark, go into a "wild" cave seeking adventure, often woefully ill equipped.
"Real" Spelunkers, scientists and geologists who are often not very well trained in cave exploration because they are Corporate or Educational professionals and going into caves is a rare part of their job.
Sport or Tourist Cavers, those who have sought out some training in safely visiting a cave, often through a Grotto (Chapter) of the National Speleological Society. This is the most common of trained cave visitor, they tend to visit well know "safe", horizontal caves.
Vertical Cavers, this is where the separation of hard core and sport cavers starts. These are cavers who have vertical rope work training, enabling them to rappel into and climb out of caves that have pit entrances.
Project/Hard Core cavers, these are the Worlds elite cave explorers, a small group of amazing people from all walks of life who share the passion of exploring caves that are technically difficult and extremely dangerous.
There are even more minor distinctions within the caving world, but this is enough to chew on right now.
They weren't surveying and drafting maps like these cavers are. They weren't noting on those maps where interesting or important geologic or paleontological finds are like Cavers do.
Cave explorers are adding to the body of scientific knowledge in ways that mountaineering could never accomplish.
My generalization is broad as I typed it on a mobile. There is a lot more subtlety to all of this for sure. I guess I meant in my experience of caving the emphasis is on getting there and back alive without damaging any pretty bits. Contrast rock climbing where people take significant risks in order to avoid "cheating". To some extent the latter ethic has transferred into modern Alpinism also which is why I referred to historic ethics. Cavers won't take quite the same support team of servants to get somewhere, though cave divers often rope a buddy or two into carrying their gear.
But sometimes bolts are unavoidable. You need to rig such that your rope won't cut itself from rubbing as you ascend. Or perhaps you need to avoid a waterfall. You set a bolt and redirect or rebelay in situations.
Sometimes there is nothing to rig to as far as breakdown goes. Or you are on the surface and there are no trees or breakdown nearby. Finally, sometimes you reach a dome in a cave which is only seen from the bottom. So you need to do a dome climb up it. This typically involves setting bolts as well, though sometimes trad gear can be used.
The impact of a bolt isn't very great. Cavers typically remove the hangars just leaving a hole when expedition caving. After all, they will hopefully need the hangars for something new shortly thereafter.
I mean you can avoid it by not caving if it's not possible without permanently defacing the rock.
If you have this attitude and you only free solo when you climb, I concede. You are a bad-ass. But if you are a trad climber, give me a break. Popular trad routes are painfully obvious, especially in sandstone.