Permafrost occurrence during the Last Permafrost Maximum in the Western Carpathian Mountains of Slovakia as inferred from cryogenic cave carbonate

Coarse crystalline cryogenic cave carbonate (CCC) forms during the slow freezing of standing water pools and represents indirect proof of freezing temperature in the past. The dating by U-series of CCC deposits from nine caves in the Western Carpathians Mountains of Slovakia suggests that freezing conditions, and possible permafrost conditions, occurred during the Last Permafrost Maximum (LPM, c.20-18 ka BP). The CCC deposits occur in caves at elevations of between 800 and 1800ma.s.l. They point to widespread alpine permafrost, the lower limit of discontinuous/sporadic permafrost being approximately 800ma.s.l. The thickness of permafrost probably varied between 30 and 180m. In the Vysoke Tatry Mountains at altitudes of approximate to 1800ma.s.l., one occurrence of CCC suggests that subzero temperatures may have penetrated to a depth of over 285m.