First investigations of an ice core from Eisriesenwelt cave (Austria)
Investigations into the genesis and dynamical properties of cave ice are essential for assessing the climate significance of these underground glaciers. We drilled an ice core through a 7.1 m-thick ice body filling a large cavern of the dynamic ice cave Eisenriesenwelt (Austria). In addition to visu...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:1af65aa73f504ceebc805ca0f5d3695c 2023-05-15T16:38:58+02:00 First investigations of an ice core from Eisriesenwelt cave (Austria) B. May C. Spötl D. Wagenbach Y. Dublyansky J. Liebl 2011-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-81-2011 https://doaj.org/article/1af65aa73f504ceebc805ca0f5d3695c EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.the-cryosphere.net/5/81/2011/tc-5-81-2011.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-5-81-2011 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/1af65aa73f504ceebc805ca0f5d3695c The Cryosphere, Vol 5, Iss 1, Pp 81-93 (2011) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2011 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-81-2011 2022-12-31T11:10:38Z Investigations into the genesis and dynamical properties of cave ice are essential for assessing the climate significance of these underground glaciers. We drilled an ice core through a 7.1 m-thick ice body filling a large cavern of the dynamic ice cave Eisenriesenwelt (Austria). In addition to visual core inspections, quasi-continuous measurements at 2 cm resolution comprised particulate matter, stable water isotope (δ 18 O, δD) and electrolytic conductivity profiles supplemented by specifically selected samples analyzed for tritium and radiocarbon. We found that recent ablation led to an almost complete loss of bomb-derived tritium removing any ice accumulated since, at least, the early fifties leaving the actual ice surface even below the natural tritium level. The small particulate organic masses rendered radiocarbon dating inconclusive, though a crude estimate gave a basal ice age in the order of several thousand years. The visual stratigraphy and all investigated parameters showed a clear dichotomy between the upper 2 m and the bottom 3 m of the core, which points to a substantial change in the ice formation process. Main features of the core comprise the changing appearance and composition of distinct cryocalcite layers, extremely low total ion content and a surprisingly high variability of the isotope signature. Co-isotope evaluation (δD versus δ 18 O) of the core in comparison with data from precipitation and karst spring water clearly indicate that ice formation is governed by (slow) freezing of dripping water. Article in Journal/Newspaper ice core The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 5 1 81 93 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 B. May C. Spötl D. Wagenbach Y. Dublyansky J. Liebl First investigations of an ice core from Eisriesenwelt cave (Austria) |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Investigations into the genesis and dynamical properties of cave ice are essential for assessing the climate significance of these underground glaciers. We drilled an ice core through a 7.1 m-thick ice body filling a large cavern of the dynamic ice cave Eisenriesenwelt (Austria). In addition to visual core inspections, quasi-continuous measurements at 2 cm resolution comprised particulate matter, stable water isotope (δ 18 O, δD) and electrolytic conductivity profiles supplemented by specifically selected samples analyzed for tritium and radiocarbon. We found that recent ablation led to an almost complete loss of bomb-derived tritium removing any ice accumulated since, at least, the early fifties leaving the actual ice surface even below the natural tritium level. The small particulate organic masses rendered radiocarbon dating inconclusive, though a crude estimate gave a basal ice age in the order of several thousand years. The visual stratigraphy and all investigated parameters showed a clear dichotomy between the upper 2 m and the bottom 3 m of the core, which points to a substantial change in the ice formation process. Main features of the core comprise the changing appearance and composition of distinct cryocalcite layers, extremely low total ion content and a surprisingly high variability of the isotope signature. Co-isotope evaluation (δD versus δ 18 O) of the core in comparison with data from precipitation and karst spring water clearly indicate that ice formation is governed by (slow) freezing of dripping water. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
B. May C. Spötl D. Wagenbach Y. Dublyansky J. Liebl |
author_facet |
B. May C. Spötl D. Wagenbach Y. Dublyansky J. Liebl |
author_sort |
B. May |
title |
First investigations of an ice core from Eisriesenwelt cave (Austria) |
title_short |
First investigations of an ice core from Eisriesenwelt cave (Austria) |
title_full |
First investigations of an ice core from Eisriesenwelt cave (Austria) |
title_fullStr |
First investigations of an ice core from Eisriesenwelt cave (Austria) |
title_full_unstemmed |
First investigations of an ice core from Eisriesenwelt cave (Austria) |
title_sort |
first investigations of an ice core from eisriesenwelt cave (austria) |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-81-2011 https://doaj.org/article/1af65aa73f504ceebc805ca0f5d3695c |
genre |
ice core The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
ice core The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 5, Iss 1, Pp 81-93 (2011) |
op_relation |
http://www.the-cryosphere.net/5/81/2011/tc-5-81-2011.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-5-81-2011 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/1af65aa73f504ceebc805ca0f5d3695c |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-81-2011 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
81 |
op_container_end_page |
93 |
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1766029321810477056 |