A 5.28 m-long ice core was extracted from a major cave ice body in the Mammuthöhle cave system. The upper ~1.2 m of ice most likely originate from precipitation fallen before the 1960s (based on <8.5 TU). Characteristic fluctuations in electrical conductivity were observed in the cave ice profile, which seem to mirror the fluctuation of karst and surface water in the water supply of the ice accumulation. The stable isotope composition does not support the hypothesis that ice layers with low conductivity are formed by freezing out of water vapour. Isotope fractionation effects during the freezing process are indicated by the enrichment of heavy stable isotopes (<sup>2</sup>H, <sup>18</sup>O) in the ice compared to the potential sources (local precipitation, karst water) and by the characteristically low <i>d</i>-excess values. In addition, the cave ice water line shows a slope coefficient of 8.13. A two-component open-system model (i.e. a depleted component mixed with the freezing water) can adequately explain the measured isotopic compositions of the Saarhalle cave ice
A 5.28 m long ice core was extracted from the major cave ice block of the Mammuthöhle cave system. Tritium concentration in eight samples from the upper 1.2 m of the core was measured. Electrical conductivity measurements were achieved on molten water samples and stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions were also analysed. The upper ~1.2 m of ice has been deposited from precipitation fallen before the 1960s (based on tritium < 8.5 TU). The Saarhalle ice block is build from atmospheric precipitation and the water perfectly preserved the isotopic composition; however the mean <sup>18</sup>O/<sup>16</sup>O ratio of the ice is less depleted compared to the long-term (1973–1983) <sup>18</sup>O/<sup>16</sup>O ratio of precipitation at Feuerkogel the nearest (~32 km) reference station situated in the same elevation like Mammuthöhle cave. Characteristic fluctuation was observed in the conductivity along the studied cave ice profile. The conductivity oscillations seem to mirror the changing partition of karstic water and surface meltwater in the water supply of the ice accumulation. The ice layers with low conductivity seem to archive past events when more meltwater-like water have been drained and frozen onto the ice block
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