Many of these separate passages coalesce to produce master conduits. On rare occasions, high intensity storms will culminate in subsurface floods. It is quite possible that most of the work by solution is accomplished during these storm events. Corrosion is also accelerated because much of the coarse clastic debris carried off by overland flow is shuttled down through the subsurface channels. A striking uniformity of fine dimpled texture exists over a very large segment of the radar image.
Some controversy exists over the origin of cockpits, which nearly all exhibit solution deepening.
An unanswered question concerns how much influence subsurface flow may have on their evolution. The dominating influence, however, is probably runoff and subsequent solution at the pit floor. Very few of these outlets showed any evidence of collapse. The infiltration through these outlets was efficient, and only during intense storms did water back up and produce temporary ponds. Accelerated weathering and biologic activity generally occurs at those places that have the longest moisture residence times-in this instance, the cockpit floors.