The geochemistry of ice in the southeastern Alps, Slovenia

Carey, Anne E.; Smith, Douglas D.; Welch, Susan A.; Zorn, Matija; Tičar, Jure; Lipar, Matej; Komac, Blaž; Lyons, Berry

doi:10.3986/ags.7420

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 32 publications

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“…The cold Alpine environment during the glacial period with low biological respiration rates could be indicated in the relatively high δ 13 C signal, also reported by others (Lemmens et al, 1982;Fairchild and Spiro, 1990;Lyons et al, 2020), but the (re)freezing of the subglacial water causes supersaturation with respect to carbonate, and the non-equilibrium conditions produced by this process can affect the stable isotopic composition of the subglacial carbonate, usually leading to isotopic enrichment in the carbonate minerals (Clark and Lauriol, 1992;Courty et al, 1994;Lacelle, 2007). In any case, the climate during the precipitation of subglacial carbonate had to be "warm" enough to produce subglacial water at the glacier bed.…”

Section: Subglacial Carbonate Depositssupporting

confidence: 65%

Subglacial carbonate deposits as a potential proxy for glacier's existence

Lipar

Pérez

Tičar

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Abstract. The retreat of ice shelves and glaciers over the last century provides unequivocal evidence of recent global warming. Glacierets (miniature glaciers) are an important component that highlights the global retreat of glaciers, but knowledge of their behaviour prior to the Little Ice Age is lacking. Here, we present subglacial carbonate deposits from a recently exposed surface previously occupied by the disappearing Triglav Glacier (southeastern European Alps) that may elucidate the glacier’s existence throughout the entire Holocene since their maximum uranium-thorium (U-Th) ages suggest their possible preservation since the Last Glacial Maximum and Younger Dryas. These thin deposits, formed by regelation, are easily eroded if exposed during previous Holocene climatic optima. The age data indicate the glacier’s present unprecedented level of retreat since the Last Glacial Maximum, and the potential of subglacial carbonates as additional proxies to highlight the extraordinary nature of the current global climatic changes.

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Section: Subglacial Carbonate Depositssupporting

confidence: 65%

Subglacial carbonate deposits as a potential proxy for glacier's existence

Lipar

Pérez

Tičar

et al. 2020

Preprint

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The Chemistry of Cave Ice: Two Examples from Slovenia

Smith,

Lyons,

Welch

et al. 2023

Environmental &Amp; Engineering Geoscience

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Cave ice can contain a wealth of paleo-climatic and geochemical information that is rapidly being lost with the melting of the temperate zone cryosphere. The karst areas of Slovenia host over 260 ice caves. We collected samples for stable water isotope, major ion, and nutrient analyses from two Slovenian ice caves. Samples included two shallow ice cores in Snežna Cave, collected ∼5 m apart, and an ice face profile in Ivačičeva Cave. All ice isotopic ratios reflected modern precipitation that could be described by high-elevation meteoric water lines. An offset suggested that fractionation and mixing processes of melted ice affected the isotopic signals. Cation concentrations of ice in both caves showed Ca ≫ Mg > Na > K. The high Ca2+ and Mg2+ contents and elevated HCO3− concentrations indicate that CaCO3 dissolution within the local karst landscape is a primary control on ice chemistry. Low concentrations and inconsistent profile patterns of other major ions and nutrients suggest atmospheric deposition and vadose zone leaching were also primary sources of ions to the ice. Differences in Cl− and SO42− profile concentrations at similar depths in Snežna Cave imply that ice melting, water mixing, and re-freezing processes can affect the primary climatic signal stored in the ice. While temperate ice caves can be repositories of climatic information, secondary diagenetic processes that affect ice chemical composition alter the original signal. In addition to chemical analysis, physical processes within the caves must be studied at a small spatial scale to understand and interpret ice chemistry.

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Holocene climate variability in Slovenia: A review

Lipar,

Lojen,

Breg Valjavec

et al. 2024

AGS

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The Slovenian climate has undergone significant fluctuations, and an understanding of the past climate is necessary to improve models and recognise long-term patterns. The cryosphere environment, such as ice core samples, provides valuable palaeoclimate data. Palynology and dendroclimatology are also effective ways to study long-term changes in vegetation and reconstruct past climates using pollen and tree proxies. Sediment cores from various locations in Slovenia have been studied to understand past environmental changes. Borehole temperature profiles as well as historical records were also used to reconstruct past climate conditions. Studies have shown specific periods when climatic changes likely played a major role, but a complete timeline of the Slovenian climate throughout the Holocene has not yet been fully developed.

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The geochemistry of ice in the southeastern Alps, Slovenia

Cited by 5 publications

References 32 publications

Subglacial carbonate deposits as a potential proxy for glacier's existence

Subglacial carbonate deposits as a potential proxy for glacier's existence

The Chemistry of Cave Ice: Two Examples from Slovenia

Holocene climate variability in Slovenia: A review

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