Investigation of Physical Climate Inside the Lake Wessel Chamber

This study summarizes the research results and environmental measurement data collected in the Lake Wessel Chamber in the salt mine Wieliczka. This chamber is a place where patients who suffer from upper airways diseases are treated during 14-days' therapeutic periods. Therapeutic properties of certain caverns and chambers have been well known since the 1950s while the therapeutic values of underground space, particularly the atmosphere, were discovered in the 1960s and the term "subterranotherapy' was subsequently coined up. The treatment is applied there whereby patients, mostly those suffering from respiratory diseases, are subjected to specific physical, chemical and biological stimuli which are available only underground, those stimuli featuring a complex natural structure and synergic biodynamics. Major features of the underground atmosphere determining its therapeutic properties include the presence of natural aerosols, electroaerosols, temperature, humidity, air circulation, ions, light radiation, electromagnetics, gravitation forces and pH of the atmosphere. This study summarises the radiation measurement data (concentrations of potential energy alpha Cα) and air composition measurements ($SO_2,$ $H_2S,$ $CO,$ $CO_2,$ $NO$ contents). the measurement procedures were in line with the relevant standards and regulations.