Caves containing perennial ice deposits make up a little-known, but emerging part of the cryosphere under increasing scrutiny from the scientific community. M-17, a sag-type ice cave opening at 1879 m asl in the Tolminski Migovec massif of the Julian Alps (NW Slovenia) contains a perennial underground ice deposit whose paleoclimate sensitivity is poorly understood and whose longevity under current climate change is at risk. The past mass balance of this cave is constrained using wood macro-remains embedded in ice. Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating of 18 wood samples embedded in ice provides the largest currently available dataset for a subterranean ice deposit in the southern European Alps. The reconstructed chronostratigraphy reveals three main phases of likely positive ice balance around 900–1100 AD, 1200–1300 AD, and 1700–1800 AD, as well as a period of negative mass balance around 1300–1400 AD. The onset of cave glaciation is deemed to have occurred no later than about 900 AD, with evidence of overall positive ice mass balance during multi-decadal periods characterized by cooler-than-average summers and wetter-than-average springs. Conversely, negative mass balance is recorded during a period warmer-than-average summers and dry springs. The cave has experienced ice mass loss since its discovery in the 1980s.

Abstract. Ice caves are, similar to mountain glaciers, threatened by the warming climate. To better understand the response of perennial ice in caves to a changing climate, we analysed the thermal characteristics of a sag-type ice cave in the Austrian Alps (Hundsalm ice cave), based on long-term temperature measurements for the period 2008–2021. Observations show a warming trend in all parts of the cave as well as a distinct seasonal pattern with two main regimes, i.e. an open (winter) and a closed (summer) period. During the closed period, a persistent stable stratification prevails that largely decouples the cave from the external atmosphere. The open period is characterised by unstable to neutral stratification, which is an effect of convection during episodes when cold air can penetrate into the cave. Criteria to detect corresponding periods are investigated. Vertical temperature profiles also provide hints on corresponding circulation patterns and the spatial temperature variability in the cave. The positive air temperature trend is reflected in a decrease in perennial cave ice, derived from stake measurements. Besides surface melting, we find compelling evidence of basal melting of ice. The observed ablation rates can be well reproduced by applying a modified degree-day model, which, however, is less feasible regarding mass balance. Overall, we conclude that Hundsalm ice cave is highly impacted by regional warming, which will lead to the disappearance of its perennial ice deposits within the next decades.

Abstract. Ice caves are, similar to mountain glaciers, threatened by the warming climate. To better understand the response of perennial ice in caves to a changing climate, we analysed the thermal characteristics of a sag-type ice cave in the Austrian Alps (Hundsalm ice cave), based on long-term temperature measurements for the period 2008–2021. Observations show a warming trend in all parts of the cave as well as a distinct seasonal pattern with two main regimes, i.e., an open (winter) and a closed (summer) period. During the closed period, a persistent stable stratification prevails that largely decouples the cave from the external atmosphere. The open period is characterised by unstable to neutral stratification and allows episodic penetrations of cold air from outside into the cave interior. Vertical temperature profiles also provide hints on corresponding circulation patterns and the spatial temperature variability in the cave. The positive air temperature trend is reflected in a decrease in perennial cave ice, derived from stake measurements. Besides surface melting, we find compelling evidence of basal melting of ice. The observed ablation rates can be well reproduced by applying a modified degree-day model, which, however, is less feasible regarding mass balance. Overall, we conclude that Hundsalm ice cave is highly impacted by regional warming which will lead to the disappearance of its perennial ice deposits within the next decades.

Mid-latitude alpine caves preserve a record of past solid precipitation during winter, locally spanning several centuries to millennia. Dating organic macro-remains trapped in ice layers allows the determination of timing and duration of past periods of positive and negative ice mass balance. We present here the largest comparative study of ice cave sites yet published, using Bayesian age-modelling on a database comprising 107 radiocarbon dates, spread over eight caves in the Austrian Alps. We show that periods of positive mass balance coincide with past glacier advances. We find organic and macro-remain rich layers dated to the Medieval Climate Anomaly (between 850 and 1200 CE) marking widespread ice retreat. We demonstrate positive ice mass balance at all studied sites for the Little Ice Age, coinciding with the largest glacier advances in the Holocene between 1400 and 1850 CE. At the sites with records spanning over 2000 years, positive mass balance is also observed during the periods from 300 BCE to 100 CE and 600–800 CE. These subterranean ice deposits show widespread evidence of accelerated negative mass balances in recent years and their record is under imminent threat of disappearing.

<p>Mid-latitude, cave-hosted temperate ice is increasingly scrutinised for its palaeoclimatic potential. Findings of dendrochronologically dated wood trunks and radiometrically dated woody macrofossils demonstrate that underground ice accumulations records may locally span several millenia. The cave geometries conducive to underground firn accumulation were additionally shown to favour the preservation of a winter signal, making cave-hosted ice an attractive and complementary archive to existing and largely summer-biased proxy records. Proxy derivation from these ice accumulations first requires the establishment of firn accumulation/ablation chronologies from stratigraphic mapping and radiometric dating of organic inclusions. Decadal to centennial trends in accumulation/ablation recorded by the ice stratigraphy thus provide insight in past variations of solid precipitation .</p><p>Preliminary results from several well-dated ice caves of the Northern Calcareous Alps in Austria suggest local preservation of ice since ca. 3600-3300 BC. Inclusion-rich unconformities in the ice stratigraphy from these alpine caves mark short breaks in firn accumulation between 250 BC and 250 AD and longer hiatuses during Late Antiquity and the 8<sup>th</sup> and 9<sup>th</sup> century AD. The majority of dated ice sequences testify the onset of rapid ice accumulation from the 11<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup> century AD onwards and build up throughout the 'Litte Ice Age'.</p>

Mid-latitude alpine caves preserve a record of past solid precipitation during winter, locally spanning several centuries to millennia. Dating organic macro-remains trapped in ice layers allows the determination of timing and duration of past periods of positive and negative ice mass balance. We present here the largest comparative study of ice cave sites yet published, using Bayesian age-modelling on a database comprising 107 radiocarbon dates, spread over eight caves in the Austrian Alps. We show that periods of positive mass balance coincide with past glacier advances. We find unconformities rich in organic macro-remains dated to the Medieval Climate Anomaly (between 850 and 1200 CE) marking widespread ice retreat. We demonstrate positive ice mass balance at all studied sites for the Little Ice Age, coinciding with the largest glacier advances in the Holocene between 1400 and 1850 CE. At the sites with records spanning over 2000 years, positive mean annual mass balance is also observed during the periods 300 BCE–100 CE and 600-800 CE. These subterranean ice deposits show widespread evidence of accelerated negative mass balances in recent years and their record is under imminent threat of disappearing.

The 116 km-long and 1560 m-deep Hirlatzhöhle is one of the major cave systems in the Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA; Austria). It is located in the NW part of the Dachstein, an extensive karst massif encompassing 576 km² with its highest point at 2995 m a.s.l. In contrast to most other caves in the NCA, Hirlatzhöhle comprises old (epi)phreatic passages located up to 1 km above the base level as well as two modern major drainage systems. The aim of this study is to define the palaeo- and the active flow conditions in combination with speleogenesis, and the age of the cave levels of Hirlatzhöhle. We use morphological as well as sedimentological studies and correlations with other caves. Another difference from cave systems in the NCA is that the majority of passages in Hirlatzhöhle are not developed within the so-called Giant Cave Level between 1200 and 1800 m a.s.l., but deeper between 800 and 1300 m. Most parts of Hirlatzhöhle developed under epiphreatic conditions as indicated by rills and condensation corrosion cupolas, which is the case for much other cave systems in the NCA. In contrast, paragenetic features like canyons and ceiling channels are relatively rare as are insoluble sediments. Elongated scallops indicate that flow velocities were high and abrasive sediments were abundant. Opposite to the nearby Dachstein-Mammuthöhle and other caves east of it that show a west-directed palaeo-flow, scallops in Hirlatzhöhle indicate a NE-directed palaeo-flow and an autogenic recharge. Modern drainage is autogenic and N- to NE-directed as well. Even though burial age dating did not give reasonable results for Hirlatzhöhle yet, the correlation with other adjacent caves suggests a Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene age of the main palaeo-phreatic level. This is supported by an infinite U-Th age (>0.6 Ma) of a flowstone.

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