LARGEST Ice cave - Werfen - Austria
Posted by: 
superstein
N 47° 30.659 E 013° 11.582
33T E 363941 N 5263532
De Eisriesenwelt in Werfen is de grootste ijsgrot van de wereld en ligt op 40 km afstand van Salzburg
Waymark Code: WM18RTB
Location: Salzburg, Austria
Date Posted: 09/20/2023
Views: 2
he Eisriesenwelt is a labyrinth of caves with a total length of over 40 km. As is the case with all caves, their formation spans a long period of time. The first cracks and crevices in the limestone appeared during the elevation of the mountains approx. 100 million years ago and over the course of thousands of years became more developed and extended as a result of chemical reactions and water erosion. Caves in the alps are still developing, although in many cases the process of drying out has limited their development.
Ice in the caves:
There are various ways in which cave ice can form. The Eisriesenwelt is a dynamic cave, meaning that the corridors and the crevices connect lower lying entrances to higher openings hence making it possible for draughts of air to circulate. Depending upon the outside temperature, it is either warmer or cooler inside the mountain and this causes the air to circulate upwards or downwards. In winter, when the air inside the mountain is warmer than outside, cold air streams into the mountain and reduces the temperature of the lower areas of the caves to below freezing point. In spring the meltwater seeps through the cracks in the rock and when it reaches the colder lower areas of the caves it freezes and turns slowly into the wonderful ice formations visible inside the caves.
Type of documentation of superlative status: Website
Location of coordinates: N 47° 30.659′ E 13° 11.582′
Web Site: [Web Link]
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