Palaeoclimatology based on isotope hydrology

Groundwater infiltrated in the Ice Age

A significant amount of the groundwaters in Hungary was infiltrated more then ten thousand years ago during the Ice Age. The isotopic compositions of these waters record valuable information about the climate of the recharge area during the infiltration. We can infer the mean air temperature, and the air humidity (dry-wet). There were significant variations in the climate during the last glaciation which can be revealed by stable isotope measurements coupled with reliable age determinations.

Characteristics of rivers

The stable isotopic composition of riverine water is determined by the average isotopic composition of the precipitation fallen to the catchment area, and the mean transit time of water in the river (evaporation effect). The River Danube has a special isotopic feature; its seasonal variation differs greatly from the other rivers in Hungary. Determining the relation between present climate and the isotopic characteristics of rivers provides a basis for reconstructing palaeoclimate of the catchment area by means of isotopic composition of biogenic or abiogenic material formed in isotopic equilibrium with the riverine palaeo-water.

Salt accumulation in soil

One of the most characteristic native sodic grassland of Hungary, the Nyírõ-lapos on Hortobágy (Great Hungarian Plain) was selected for studying the environmental conditions and processes of salt accumulation by means of isotope-hydrogeochemistry. Understanding of details of processes leading to salt accumulation today may serve as a basis for identifying the palaeo-salt accumulations, and determining their environmental conditions.

Isotope study of perennial cave-ice for climate reconstruction

Perennial ice in ice caves under temperate climate may form in very special circumstances. This ice formation is very sensitive for changes in the environment or climate. We study the present day relation between the isotopic composition of floor ice and drip water, and some parameters of the local climate (temperature, amount of precipitation, growth rate of ice accumulation).
Until now we have studied two ice caves (Gheþarul de la Focul Viu, Avenul de la Borþig) in the Apuseni Mountains, and significant differences have been found although the two ice caves are in the same climate not far away from each other.

Publications related to ice caves

Fórizs, I., Kern, Z., Szántó, Zs., Nagy, B., Palcsu, L., Molnár, M. (2004) Environmental isotope study on perennial ice in the Focul Viu Ice Cave, Bihor Mountains, Romania. Theoretical and Applied Karstology 17:61-69
Kern, Z., Fórizs, I., Nagy, B., Kázmér, M., Gál, A., Szántó, Zs., Palcsu L., Molnár M. (2004) Late Holocene environmental changes recorded at Gheþarul de la Focul Viu, Bihor Mountains, Romania. Theoretical and Applied Karstology 17:51-60
Kern Zoltán, Fórizs István, Nagy Balázs, Kázmér Miklós, Gál Andrea, Palcsu László, Szántó Zsuzsa (2004) Az elmúlt évezred klimatikus ingadozásainak részletes rekonstrukciója a Bihar-hegységi Eszkimó-barlang környezetében. II. Magyar Földrajzi Konferencia, Szeged 2004, CD-ROM, 15 pages (in Hungarian)
Kern Z., Nagy B., Fórizs I., Kázmér M., Szántó Zs. (2003) Barlangi jégképzõdmények korának és fejlõdésének vizsgálata izotópos elemzések alapján. Karsztfejlõdés VIII. Szombathely, pp. 321-332 (in Hungarian)