Format and program
The workshop will be organized as a hybrid meeting, with presentations, fieldwork and cave visits combined. Apart from presentations, participants will be working on different ice caves-related projects in Scarisoara Ice Cave. These include climate monitoring, geomorphologic mapping, faunal studies, ice/water/calcite sampling and geophysical measurements; however, all participants are free to propose studies to be conducted in the cave during the meeting. The schedule and daily program are as follows:
Sunday, February 08
13:00-18:00 Arrival in Cluj-Napoca, Gârda and Ghețar. Details were provided in the 2n circular. For those travelling by car, we will arrange transport from Gârda to Ghețar, in case on impracticable roads.
19:00 Ice breaker in Pensiunea Ghețar.
Monday, February 09
08:00-09:30 Breakfast, get together, logistics, poster setup, presentation of the structure of the workshop
09:30-11.30 Grand opening and morning session
· Moș Alin, director of the Apuseni Natural Park
· Observations of evolution of ice and ice formations in the glacial and periglacial parts of Scarisoara Ice Cave in the last century. Possible causes and solutions for slowing ice decline, Christian Ciubotărescu, AS Sfinx Gârda
· Bădăluță C-A. et al. Cryogenic cave carbonate recorded the DACP in the Eastern Carpathians
· Stremțan C. et al. LA ICP TOF MS elemental mapping of cryogenic cave carbonates from Scărișoara Ice Cave, Romania
11.30-13.00 Light lunch, easy walk to Scărișoara Ice Cave (30 minutes)
13.00-16.30 Visit of the tourist part (Great Hall) of Scărșisoara Ice Cave.
17.00-18.00 Dinner
18.00-2x.00 Evening oral session
· Palcsu L. and Temovski M. Tritium time series from ice caps, ice fields and ice caves: studying the natural level and the effect of solar cycle
· Barabach J. and Stasiewicz A. Ice caves as emerging research frontiers in a changing climate
· Oedl F. Some experiences about managing ice development on the example of Eisriesenwelt Cave in Austria
· Coda (con tutti), Worldwide loss of cave ice. The aim of this talk is to provide a framework for the upcoming days so that the entire workshop would be structured as a debate of data, approaches, ideas. Suggestions for any other topics are strongly encouraged. The working idea is to discuss 1) cave ice loos and 2) ice caves as geoheritage sites, and formulate the results of these discussions in one paper that would summarize the ”worldwide loss of cave ice” and a second one that would present ice caves as geoheritage sites (what values – past and present – they hold, how can science be used to sustainable management etc.).
Tuesday, February 10
08:00-09:00 Breakfast in Pensiunea Ghețar
09.00-12.00 Session on recent cave ice dynamics (break included)
· Šupinský J. et al. Monitoring of ice accumulations in Silická ľadnica
· Dušeková L. et al., Seasonal dynamics of ice in the Dobšiná Ice Cave based on mobile laser scanning
· Herich et al., On the monitoring of ice in caves
· Pukanská K. et al., Geodetic monitoring of ice filling dynamics in Dobšiná Ice Cave: seasonal and interannual variations
· Šulek I. et al., Ice thickness determination in the Dobšiná Ice Cave (Slovakia) by means of geophysical methods: GPR and microgravimetry
· Gómez-Lende M. et al., Recent mass balance in Castil Ice Cave (Picos de Europa, Spain): 2016-2024
· Prelovšek M. et al., Ice retreat in the Stojna Ice Cave, Slovenia – ice historic overview, plausible reasons, 3D scans in 2025 and 2026
· Blatnik M. et al., Ice level and slope processes observations in caves Velika ledena jama v Paradani and Snežna jama na planini Arto (Slovenia)
· Kosutnik J., Evidence of accelerated ice melt in Slovenian ice caves based on repeated observations
12.00-13.00 Lunch
13.00-15.00 Session of ice cave processes and their monitoring
· Brugon E. et al., Recent thermal and glaciological changes in three ice caves in the northern French Alps: Cave à Glace d'Anterne, Grande Glacière du Parmelan, and Tanne des Prolets
· Brugon E. et al. Ice cave inventory and monitoring in the French Alps
· Bartolomé M. et al. Glacial and periglacial processes in ice caves: an example from a high-elevation karst massif undergoing subsurface deglaciation
· Tičar J. et al. Hydrological heat flux as a dominant driver of ice cave degradation: new empirical evidence from Slovenia
· Paar D. and Buzjak N. Investigating perennial ice dynamics in karst pits using thermal imaging: a case study of Northern Velebit Mt., Croatia
· Buzjak N. Geomorphic markers of periglacial conditions in ice caves
15.00-17.00 Session on long-term ice dynamics and paleoclimate
· Barabach J. et al. New insights into cave ice palaeoarchives and their loss in the Prokletije Mountains
· Bielsa et al. Increase in hydrological activity of the active layer of mountain permafrost during the late Little Ice Age related to a rich flood period (Monte Perdido Massif, France-Spain)
· Giménez R. et al. Exploratory results of 210Pb dating on Pyrenean ice caves
· Leunda et al. Recovering untapped paleogenomic information from ice caves
· Pristašová L. et al. Revision of the Slovak ice caves register
· Pennos et al. Perennial ice deposits in the high-altitude vertical caves of Greece
· Bekavac S. Ice caves and early livestock breeders
· Miletić Ž. From ice cave to ice cream
17.00-18.00 Dinner
18.00-2x.00 Evening session and discussion
Discussion of the main topics raised during the day and ways forward for research in the field with a special focus on on ice caves as geoheritage sites.
Wednesday, February 11
08:00-09:00 Breakfast in Pensiunea Ghețar
09.00-17.00 Whole day excursion to the Great Reservation in Scărișoara Ice Cave. Lunch in cave
17.00-18.00 Dinner
18.00-2x.00 Evening session and discussion
Discussion of the main topics raised during the day and ways forward for research in the field with a special focus on methods and ice loss.
Thursday, February 12
08:00-09:00 Breakfast in Pensiunea Ghețar
09.00-17.00 Whole day excursion to the Little Reservation in Scărișoara Ice Cave. Lunch in cave
17.00-2x.00 Gala receptionJ. This is will be mostly a meaty affair - think gulyas, barbecue and alike. Nevertheless, we will organize a treasure hunt for vegetables.
Friday, February 13
08:00-09:00 Breakfast in Pensiunea Ghețar
09.00-10.30 Session on glacier caves
· Sobolewski et al. Investigation of glaciovolcanic cave systems in Sherman Crater, Mount Baker, Washington – physiographic setting and significance of caves for volcanology and glaciology
· Stenner et al. Morphology, microclimate, and geomicrobiology of a significant glaciovolcanic cave system in Sherman Crater, Mount Baker, Washington
· Ionescu et al. Importance of thermal equilibrium in the formation of glaciovolcanic caves
11.00-16.00 Surface karst-themed field trip (1/2 day)
· Bucur et al. An integrated assessment of groundwater quality in aquifer systems of Ocoale-Ghețar karst Area
· Cociuba I Geology of the Ocoale-Ghețar karst area
17.00-18.00 Dinner + IWIC XII proposal
18.00-2x.00 Workshop wrap-up with discussions on future studies, publications strategy.
Saturday, February 14
08:00-09:00 Breakfast in Pensiunea Ghețar and Bye-bye time