Ice Caves

Ice Caves synthesizes the latest research on ice caves from around the world, bringing to light important information that was heretofore buried in various reports, journals, and archives largely outside the public view. Ice caves have become an increasingly important target for the scientific community in the past decade, as the paleoclimatic information they host offers invaluable information about both present-day and past climate conditions. Ice caves are caves that host perennial ice accumulations and are the least studied members of the cryosphere. They occur in places where peculiar cave morphology and climatic conditions combine to allow for ice to form and persist in otherwise adverse parts of the planet. The book is an informative reference for scientists interested in ice cave studies, climate scientists, geographers, glaciologists, microbiologists, and permafrost and karst scientists.

Covers various aspects of ice occurrence in caves, including cave climate, ice genesis and dynamics, and cave faunaFeatures an overview of the paleoclimatic significance of ice cavesIncludes over 100 color images of ice caves around the world

PART I PERENNIAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS IN CAVES: OVERVIEW 1. Introduction 2. History of Ice Caves Research 3. Ice Caves Climate 4. Ice Genesis, Morphology and Dynamics 5. Dating Cave Ice Deposits 6. Cryogenic Mineral Formation in Caves 7. Ice Cave Fauna 8. Microbial Life in Ice Caves 9. Paleoclimatic Significance of Cave Ice 10. The Management of Ice Show Caves

PART II ICE CAVES OF THE WORLD 11. Geography of Cave Glaciation 12. Ice Caves in Switzerland 13. Ice Caves in Austria 14. Ice Caves in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina 15. Ice Caves in Canada 16. Ice Caves in Croatia 17. Ice Caves in Germany 18. Ice Caves in Greece 19. Ice Caves in Italy 20. Ice Caves in Iran 21. Ice Caves in Asia 22. Ice Caves in FYR of Macedonia 23. Ice Caves in Norway, Fennoscandia and the Arctic 24. Ice Caves in Poland 25. Ice Caves in Romania 26. Ice Caves in Russia 27. Ice Caves in Serbia 28. Ice Caves in Spain 29. Ice Caves in Slovakia 30. Ice Caves in Slovenia 31. Ice Caves in the USA