Cave/Subterranean Lighting












1














I have a cave that is ravine like and stretches approximately one kilometer down into the Earth. Let's assume that the cave has a clear, crystalline roof allowing some light in.



Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?



I want the cave to have enough available light for average plants and such to grow with the upper half of the ravine.






environment flora







share|improve this question





























    1














    I have a cave that is ravine like and stretches approximately one kilometer down into the Earth. Let's assume that the cave has a clear, crystalline roof allowing some light in.



    Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?



    I want the cave to have enough available light for average plants and such to grow with the upper half of the ravine.






    environment flora







    share|improve this question



























      1












      1








      1







      I have a cave that is ravine like and stretches approximately one kilometer down into the Earth. Let's assume that the cave has a clear, crystalline roof allowing some light in.



      Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?



      I want the cave to have enough available light for average plants and such to grow with the upper half of the ravine.






      environment flora







      share|improve this question















      I have a cave that is ravine like and stretches approximately one kilometer down into the Earth. Let's assume that the cave has a clear, crystalline roof allowing some light in.



      Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?



      I want the cave to have enough available light for average plants and such to grow with the upper half of the ravine.






      environment flora




      environment flora






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 2 hours ago









      L.Dutch♦

      75.3k24180366




      75.3k24180366










      asked 3 hours ago









      Thalassan

      502110




      502110






















          2 Answers
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          active

          oldest

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          3














          Ice.



          ice cave



          https://www.getyourguide.com/joekulsarlon-l2030/crystal-ice-cave-tour-from-jokulsarlon-t73050/



          The Icelandic ice caves (in glaciers) are made of translucent ice which admits sunlight from above. The light bounces around, refracting within the ice, reflecting off of other ice surfaces within the cave and illuminating the interior to a degree you would never see in a regular stone cave.






          share|improve this answer

















          • 1




            100K! Congratulations! Also, does this meet the OP's requirement that plants can grow? Less light is needed to illuminate than to sustain life.
            – JBH
            1 hour ago



















          0















          Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?




          I am afraid not. While it can happen that some naturally occurring materials are transparent (think gems), to have reflection you need to have both the right material AND the right surface condition, meaning a polished surface.



          While some metals can be worked to make a pretty decent mirror, they never naturally come in nicely polished surface state. They shine, but don't reflect like a mirror.



          Think of gold or silver nuggets, since they are the only two naturally occurring metals.



          gold nuggets



          You can still have reflective surfaces in the right conditions, like grazing light on water surface, but that would




          • complicate the internal design of your caves to have the light traveling deep into the cave

          • work only in precise moments of the day, since the external light source won't be stationary in the sky






          share|improve this answer





















          • Thanks for your Input! Any possible way I could explain naturally occuring silver and gold deposits that are polished. Whether it be through natural chemical or physical means.
            – Thalassan
            7 mins ago











          Your Answer





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          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes








          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          3














          Ice.



          ice cave



          https://www.getyourguide.com/joekulsarlon-l2030/crystal-ice-cave-tour-from-jokulsarlon-t73050/



          The Icelandic ice caves (in glaciers) are made of translucent ice which admits sunlight from above. The light bounces around, refracting within the ice, reflecting off of other ice surfaces within the cave and illuminating the interior to a degree you would never see in a regular stone cave.






          share|improve this answer

















          • 1




            100K! Congratulations! Also, does this meet the OP's requirement that plants can grow? Less light is needed to illuminate than to sustain life.
            – JBH
            1 hour ago
















          3














          Ice.



          ice cave



          https://www.getyourguide.com/joekulsarlon-l2030/crystal-ice-cave-tour-from-jokulsarlon-t73050/



          The Icelandic ice caves (in glaciers) are made of translucent ice which admits sunlight from above. The light bounces around, refracting within the ice, reflecting off of other ice surfaces within the cave and illuminating the interior to a degree you would never see in a regular stone cave.






          share|improve this answer

















          • 1




            100K! Congratulations! Also, does this meet the OP's requirement that plants can grow? Less light is needed to illuminate than to sustain life.
            – JBH
            1 hour ago














          3












          3








          3






          Ice.



          ice cave



          https://www.getyourguide.com/joekulsarlon-l2030/crystal-ice-cave-tour-from-jokulsarlon-t73050/



          The Icelandic ice caves (in glaciers) are made of translucent ice which admits sunlight from above. The light bounces around, refracting within the ice, reflecting off of other ice surfaces within the cave and illuminating the interior to a degree you would never see in a regular stone cave.






          share|improve this answer












          Ice.



          ice cave



          https://www.getyourguide.com/joekulsarlon-l2030/crystal-ice-cave-tour-from-jokulsarlon-t73050/



          The Icelandic ice caves (in glaciers) are made of translucent ice which admits sunlight from above. The light bounces around, refracting within the ice, reflecting off of other ice surfaces within the cave and illuminating the interior to a degree you would never see in a regular stone cave.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 1 hour ago









          Willk

          100k25191423




          100k25191423








          • 1




            100K! Congratulations! Also, does this meet the OP's requirement that plants can grow? Less light is needed to illuminate than to sustain life.
            – JBH
            1 hour ago














          • 1




            100K! Congratulations! Also, does this meet the OP's requirement that plants can grow? Less light is needed to illuminate than to sustain life.
            – JBH
            1 hour ago








          1




          1




          100K! Congratulations! Also, does this meet the OP's requirement that plants can grow? Less light is needed to illuminate than to sustain life.
          – JBH
          1 hour ago




          100K! Congratulations! Also, does this meet the OP's requirement that plants can grow? Less light is needed to illuminate than to sustain life.
          – JBH
          1 hour ago











          0















          Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?




          I am afraid not. While it can happen that some naturally occurring materials are transparent (think gems), to have reflection you need to have both the right material AND the right surface condition, meaning a polished surface.



          While some metals can be worked to make a pretty decent mirror, they never naturally come in nicely polished surface state. They shine, but don't reflect like a mirror.



          Think of gold or silver nuggets, since they are the only two naturally occurring metals.



          gold nuggets



          You can still have reflective surfaces in the right conditions, like grazing light on water surface, but that would




          • complicate the internal design of your caves to have the light traveling deep into the cave

          • work only in precise moments of the day, since the external light source won't be stationary in the sky






          share|improve this answer





















          • Thanks for your Input! Any possible way I could explain naturally occuring silver and gold deposits that are polished. Whether it be through natural chemical or physical means.
            – Thalassan
            7 mins ago
















          0















          Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?




          I am afraid not. While it can happen that some naturally occurring materials are transparent (think gems), to have reflection you need to have both the right material AND the right surface condition, meaning a polished surface.



          While some metals can be worked to make a pretty decent mirror, they never naturally come in nicely polished surface state. They shine, but don't reflect like a mirror.



          Think of gold or silver nuggets, since they are the only two naturally occurring metals.



          gold nuggets



          You can still have reflective surfaces in the right conditions, like grazing light on water surface, but that would




          • complicate the internal design of your caves to have the light traveling deep into the cave

          • work only in precise moments of the day, since the external light source won't be stationary in the sky






          share|improve this answer





















          • Thanks for your Input! Any possible way I could explain naturally occuring silver and gold deposits that are polished. Whether it be through natural chemical or physical means.
            – Thalassan
            7 mins ago














          0












          0








          0







          Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?




          I am afraid not. While it can happen that some naturally occurring materials are transparent (think gems), to have reflection you need to have both the right material AND the right surface condition, meaning a polished surface.



          While some metals can be worked to make a pretty decent mirror, they never naturally come in nicely polished surface state. They shine, but don't reflect like a mirror.



          Think of gold or silver nuggets, since they are the only two naturally occurring metals.



          gold nuggets



          You can still have reflective surfaces in the right conditions, like grazing light on water surface, but that would




          • complicate the internal design of your caves to have the light traveling deep into the cave

          • work only in precise moments of the day, since the external light source won't be stationary in the sky






          share|improve this answer













          Is there any sort of crystal, mineral, substance, or something else naturally occurring that could reflect light into most parts of the cave?




          I am afraid not. While it can happen that some naturally occurring materials are transparent (think gems), to have reflection you need to have both the right material AND the right surface condition, meaning a polished surface.



          While some metals can be worked to make a pretty decent mirror, they never naturally come in nicely polished surface state. They shine, but don't reflect like a mirror.



          Think of gold or silver nuggets, since they are the only two naturally occurring metals.



          gold nuggets



          You can still have reflective surfaces in the right conditions, like grazing light on water surface, but that would




          • complicate the internal design of your caves to have the light traveling deep into the cave

          • work only in precise moments of the day, since the external light source won't be stationary in the sky







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 2 hours ago









          L.Dutch♦

          75.3k24180366




          75.3k24180366












          • Thanks for your Input! Any possible way I could explain naturally occuring silver and gold deposits that are polished. Whether it be through natural chemical or physical means.
            – Thalassan
            7 mins ago


















          • Thanks for your Input! Any possible way I could explain naturally occuring silver and gold deposits that are polished. Whether it be through natural chemical or physical means.
            – Thalassan
            7 mins ago
















          Thanks for your Input! Any possible way I could explain naturally occuring silver and gold deposits that are polished. Whether it be through natural chemical or physical means.
          – Thalassan
          7 mins ago




          Thanks for your Input! Any possible way I could explain naturally occuring silver and gold deposits that are polished. Whether it be through natural chemical or physical means.
          – Thalassan
          7 mins ago


















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