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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Upper Grindelwald Glacier Holocene Fluctuation Reconstruction

browse graphicPaleoclimatology - Speleothem
This archived Paleoclimatology Study is available from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), under the World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology. The associated NCEI study type is Cave. The data include parameters of speleothems with a geographic location of Switzerland, Western Europe. The time period coverage is from 9314 to 2000 in calendar years before present (BP). See metadata information for parameter and study location details. Please cite this study when using the data.
  • Cite as: Luetscher, M.; Hoffmann, D.L.; Frisia, S.; Spötl, C. (2013-02-22): NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Upper Grindelwald Glacier Holocene Fluctuation Reconstruction. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.25921/dmy2-gh10. Accessed [date].
  • Please refer to Credit tab for full citation information.
noaa-cave-13868
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Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Data Center Contact
NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology
828-271-4800
paleo@noaa.gov
Coverage Description Date Range: 9314 cal yr BP to 2000 cal yr BP;
Time Period -7364 to -50
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: 8.083
East: 8.083
South: 46.6167
North: 46.6167
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • Holocene glacier history from alpine speleothems, Milchbach cave, Switzerland
    • Associated Reference published 2011
      M. Luetscher, D.L. Hoffmann, S. Frisia, C. Spötl, 2011: Holocene glacier history from alpine speleothems, Milchbach cave, Switzerland. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 302, 95-106, 10.1016/j.epsl.2010.11.042
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2013-02-22
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Data Update Frequency Data update frequency not available
Supplemental Information
STUDY NOTES: Petrographic and stable isotope changes in Milchbach cave speleothems are tied to abrupt changes in the cave environment associated with Grindelwald glacier fluctuations. Phases of major glacier retreats occurred repeatedly before 5.8 ka but short term glacier advances are identified at 8.2 ka and 9.2 ka. The reconstructed history of glacier oscillations is constrained by 37 independent U/Th dates. The fluctuations of the Upper Grindelwald Glacier are inferred from the estimated altitude of the ice surface at the cave entrance. The error is constrained by the altitude of the different cave entrances, but some uncertainty remains as to the lowest elevation.
ABSTRACT SUPPLIED BY ORIGINATOR: Mountain glaciers and their sediments are prominent witnesses of climate change, responding sensitively to even small modifications in meteorological parameters. Even in such a classical and thoroughly studied area as the European Alps the record of Holocene glacier mass-balance is only incompletely known. Here we explore a novel and continuous archive of glacier fluctuations in a cave system adjacent to the Upper Grindelwald Glacier in the Swiss Alps. Milchbach cave became partly ice-free only recently and hosts Holocene speleothems. Four coeval stalagmites show consistent petrographic and stable isotopic changes between 9.2 and 2.0 ka which can be tied to abrupt modifications in the cave environment as a result of the closing and opening of multiple cave entrances by the waxing and waning of the nearby glacier. During periods of Holocene glacier advances, columnar calcite fabric is characterized by d18O values of about -8.0‰ indicative of speleothem growth under quasi-equilibrium conditions, i.e. little affected by kinetic effect related to forced degassing or biological processes. In contrast, fabrics formed during periods of glacier minima are typical of bacterially mediated calcite precipitation within caves overlain by an alpine soil cover. Moreover, d18O values of the bacterially mediated calcite fabrics are consistent with a ventilated cave system fostering kinetic fractionation. These data suggest that glacier retreats occurred repeatedly before 5.8 ka, and that the amplitudes of glacier retreats became substantially smaller afterwards. Our reconstruction of the Upper Grindelwald Glacier fluctuations agrees well with paleoglaciological studies from other sites in the Alps and provides a higher temporal resolution compared to traditional analyses of peat and wood remains found in glacier forefields.
Purpose Records of past temperature, precipitation, and other aspects of climate derived from mineral deposits found in caves. Parameter keywords describe what was measured in this dataset. Additional summary information can be found in the abstracts of papers listed in the dataset citations.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Luetscher, M.; Hoffmann, D.L.; Frisia, S.; Spötl, C. (2013-02-22): NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Upper Grindelwald Glacier Holocene Fluctuation Reconstruction. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.25921/dmy2-gh10. Accessed [date].
  • Please cite original publication, online resource, dataset and publication DOIs (where available), and date accessed when using downloaded data. If there is no publication information, please cite investigator, title, online resource, and date accessed. The appearance of external links associated with a dataset does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of external Web sites or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities, the Department of Commerce/NOAA does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this Department of Commerce/NOAA Web site.
Cited Authors
  • Luetscher, M.
  • Hoffmann, D.L.
  • Frisia, S.
  • Spötl, C.
Originators
  • Luetscher, M.
  • Hoffmann, D.L.
  • Frisia, S.
  • Spötl, C.
Publishers
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Theme keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • Earth Science > Climate Indicators > Paleoclimate Indicators > Land Records > Cave Deposits
  • Earth Science > Climate Indicators > Paleoclimate Indicators > Speleothems
  • Earth Science > Paleoclimate > Land Records > Cave Deposits
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • earth science > paleoclimate > speleothems
  • earth science > paleoclimate > climate reconstructions|speleothems
  • earth science > paleoclimate > speleothems
  • earth science > paleoclimate > climate reconstructions|speleothems
  • earth science > paleoclimate > climate reconstructions|speleothems
  • earth science > paleoclimate > speleothems
  • earth science > paleoclimate > speleothems
  • earth science > paleoclimate > climate reconstructions|speleothems
  • earth science > paleoclimate > speleothems > carbon isotopes
  • earth science > paleoclimate > speleothems > oxygen isotopes
  • earth science > paleoclimate > speleothems > other
  • Glaciers and Ice Sheets Reconstruction
Paleoenvironmental Standard Terms (PaST) Thesaurus
  • What: delta 18O; Material: calcium carbonate
  • What: ice sheet elevation; Material: null
  • What: depth; Material: null
  • What: age; Material: null
  • What: ice sheet elevation; Material: null
  • What: delta 13C; Material: calcium carbonate
  • What: notes; Material: null
  • What: ice sheet elevation; Material: null
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Place keywords
  • Continent > Europe > Western Europe > Switzerland > Milchbach Cave > LATITUDE 46.6167 > LONGITUDE 8.083
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Luetscher, M.; Hoffmann, D.L.; Frisia, S.; Spötl, C. (2013-02-22): NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Upper Grindelwald Glacier Holocene Fluctuation Reconstruction. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.25921/dmy2-gh10. Accessed [date].
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
  • Please cite original publication, online resource, dataset and publication DOIs (where available), and date accessed when using downloaded data. If there is no publication information, please cite investigator, title, online resource, and date accessed. The appearance of external links associated with a dataset does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of external Web sites or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities, the Department of Commerce/NOAA does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this Department of Commerce/NOAA Web site.
Access Constraints
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
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Last Modified: 2023-09-01
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