Re: Cables from the UK

["Dennis Sheridan" <dilvish at pacbell_net>]

> From: "George Booth" <gbooth at frii_com>
> Subject: Re: cables from the UK
>
> The cables are supposed to mimic warm groundwater rising through
the
> substrate bed; warm mineral springs, that kind of thing. Sure, not
ALL
> ecosystems are like this, but maybe some places have warm
groundwater
> seeping UP from below the substrate.  The sun is not directly
involved in
> this - consider magma (magna?) near the surface.

Thermal eco-systems are quite distinct, usually unique to their
region, the sun plays a major roll in all of those I'm aware of, and
not one of them can even be remotely characterized as behaving in
the fashion you are describing. By their nature, a system derived
from thermal water includes a number of factors that dictate what
the system will be like on or near the surface. I don't think you
can point to one naturally occuring eco-system that behaves in the
way you describe.  And if magma is "near the surface" the water
seeping up through it is going to be way too hot to support plant
life. Tons of bateria and other things, but not higher order plants.

I'm not saying your approach doesn't work or criticizing it in any
way.  I'm just saying you can't mimic something that doesn't exist.

Dennis