Ice Caves in Italy

In Italy, more than 1600 caves are classified as cryo-caves, due to the presence of multiyear snow, firn, or ice. Previous regional studies show that at least 10% of such caves can be included in the ice cave classification, because they have a perennial ice deposit. However, the strong differences in the karstological characteristics of the Italian geology allows having not only caves formed in limestone, dolomite, or marble terrains, in the Alps as well as in the Apennines, but also in lava tubes on the Etna Volcano. Four ice caves are reported here as examples of three different mechanisms of ice cave formation and evolution. From Grigna Settentrionale, central Alps, a vertical shaft ice deposit mainly formed by dripping water was studied by chemical and stable isotope record. Two high altitude ice caves originated by snow accumulation and ice dipping were studied in the Canin massif, southeastern Alps, and a lava tube from Etna volcano was studied for its ice dynamics and air-circulation mechanisms. These four examples provide important data on the evolution of such ice deposits, giving a first clue on their progressive reduction under recent climate forcing.