Four cores, 25mm in diameter and up to 50 cm long (PFU6, 7, 8, 9) from different parts of the flowstone as well as modern calcilte precipitates

Annual and homogenized precipitation data of the nearby station Nauders, however, reveal good correspondence with observed C and O isotope changes on a decadal timescale, considering the age uncertainties and different temporal resolution

variations in paleoprecipitation amount on a multi-annual timescale (On longer timescales, however, the flowstone?s growth dynamics have to be considered)

There is kinetic osotope fractionation: Strongly positive correlation between d13C and d18O values in the younger segments with Dd13C/Dd18O slopes of 1?1.5. The older parts of the cores are characterized by a significantly lower degree of correlation and typically lower slopes. Linear fits of d13C vs. d18O in cores PFU8 and PFU9 show comparable slopes (1?1.5) but typically lower coefficients (in particular PFU8). Modern calcite precipitates also exhibit a strongly positive correlation of C and O isotope values (R2=0.87). A comparison of the drill core d18O values with calculated modern O isotopic equilibrium values based on monitoring data reveals O isotopic compositions close to isotopic equilibrium only for the calcite d18O minima.

Lack of seasonal signal in stable isotopic composition + the drip-water trace element concentrations strongly suggesta that most of the water discharging into this cave has a mean residence time well in excess of one year.

uncertainty is higher on long timescales due to flowstone?s growth dynamics

10833’E, 46857’N (Klapferloch Cave (Austrian register no 2132/5)

Boch, R. and Spoetl, C.: Reconstructing palaeoprecipitation from an active cave flowstone, Journal of Quaternary Science, 26(7), 675–687, doi:10.1002/jqs.1490, 2011.

d18O (SP11BOAT01A): interpretation4_scope: '' has been replaced by 'isotope'

on-line, automated, carbonate preparation system linked to a Finnigan Delta Plus Advantage at the University of Sao Paulo