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Črna Jama as a cold air trap cave within Postojna Cave, Slovenia

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Abstract

Črna Jama is the coldest section of cave within the Postojna Cave System. Mean annual air temperatures at the Črna Jama 2 site are 5.6 °C (2015) and 5.7 °C (2016), and at the Črna Jama 3 site 7.1 °C (2015) and 7.2 (2016), whereas the mean external air temperature was 10.3 °C (2015) and 10.0 °C (2016). In Lepe Jame, the passage most heavily visited by tourists, the mean cave-air temperature is 10.7 °C (2014–2017). Črna Jama exhibits winter and summer temperature regimes. During warm periods (Tcave < Tout), it acts as a cold air trap, exchanging no air with the outside atmosphere. Under such conditions the cave-air temperature shows no short-term diurnal temperature oscillations. Cave-air temperature is significantly stable and affected only by elevation of the groundwater table, which is associated with precipitation. During cold periods (Tcave > Tout), ventilation takes place and dense, cold, outside air sinks into Črna Jama because of the favourable cave entrance morphology. Recent Črna Jama air temperature data (2014–2017) indicate a < 0.5 °C higher temperature than that recorded in historical data since 1933. Črna Jama is the most appropriate place within the Postojna Cave System to study long-term climatic changes. There are hardly any tourist visits to the cave, and human impacts on the cave climate are essentially reduced.

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Acknowledgements

The study was carried out within the projects: ‘Assessment of natural and anthropogenic processes in micrometeorology of the Postojna Cave system by numerical models and modern methods of data acquisition and transfer’ (L2-6762) and ‘Natural resources of karst show caves: a balance among protection, exploitation, and promotion’ (J7-7100). It is also part of ‘Karst Research Programme’ (P6-0119). Authors are grateful to Dr. D J Lowe (Nottingham, UK) for smoothing the English text and providing constructive feedback.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, Titov trg 2, 6230, Postojna, Slovenia

    Stanka Šebela

  2. Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Dimičeva 12, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Janez Turk

Authors
  1. Stanka Šebela
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  2. Janez Turk
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Correspondence to Stanka Šebela.

Additional information

Article deals with meteorological studies in the coldest part of Postojna Cave, Slovenia. Regarding air temperature data set, meteorological characteristics of Črna Jama are described. Being the most visited show cave in Slovenia, Postojna Cave (environment and climate) is under strong human impact, but part of the system (Črna Jama) is mostly eliminated from human impact and is the best place for long-term climatic studies.

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Šebela, S., Turk, J. Črna Jama as a cold air trap cave within Postojna Cave, Slovenia. Theor Appl Climatol 134, 741–751 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-017-2304-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-017-2304-5

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