Permafrost occurrence during the Last Permafrost Maximum in the W estern C arpathian M ountains of S lovakia 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 W estern C arpathians M ountains of S lovakia 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 1800 m a.s.l. They point to widespread alpine permafrost, the lower limit of discontinuous/sporadic permafrost being approximately 800 m a.s.l. The thickness of permafrost probably varied between 30 and 180 m. In the Vysoké Tatry Mountains at altitudes of ∼1800 m a.s.l., one occurrence of CCC suggests that subzero temperatures may have penetrated to a depth of over 285 m.