Thermal impact of global warming in the underground of karst regions

Abstract

[EN]Underground temperature of the vadose zone is dominated by the thermal variability of the atmosphere on the surface that is transferred downwards by thermal conduction. In karst regions, caves are underground environments that contain cave art, valuable paleoclimate archives and delicate ecosystems that are very sensitive to temperature changes. Heat transfer to the underground by thermal conduction has two main consequences: (1) the thermal anomalies are progressively muted with depth and (2) the signals record certain delay that increases with depth. Here we explore how the impact of five different scenarios of global warming as reported in the AR6 of the IPCC will impact underground temperatures in a typical karst region.