Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica
Abstract Wind-driven snow redistribution can increase the spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation on ice caps and ice sheets, and may prove crucial for the initiation and survival of glaciers in areas of marginal glaciation. We present a snowdrift model (Snow_Blow), which extends and improves the...
Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2019.70 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143019000704 |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/jog.2019.70 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/jog.2019.70 2024-09-15T17:48:08+00:00 Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica Mills, Stephanie C. Le Brocq, Anne M. Winter, Kate Smith, Michael Hillier, John Ardakova, Ekaterina Boston, Clare M. Sugden, David Woodward, John 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2019.70 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143019000704 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Journal of Glaciology volume 65, issue 254, page 957-970 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 journal-article 2019 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2019.70 2024-07-17T04:04:17Z Abstract Wind-driven snow redistribution can increase the spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation on ice caps and ice sheets, and may prove crucial for the initiation and survival of glaciers in areas of marginal glaciation. We present a snowdrift model (Snow_Blow), which extends and improves the model of Purves, Mackaness and Sugden (1999, Journal of Quaternary Science 14, 313–321). The model calculates spatial variations in relative snow accumulation that result from variations in topography, using a digital elevation model (DEM) and wind direction as inputs. Improvements include snow redistribution using a flux routing algorithm, DEM resolution independence and the addition of a slope curvature component. This paper tests Snow_Blow in Antarctica (a modern environment) and reveals its potential for application in palaeoenvironmental settings, where input meteorological data are unavailable and difficult to estimate. Specifically, Snow_Blow is applied to the Ellsworth Mountains in West Antarctica where ablation is considered to be predominantly related to wind erosion processes. We find that Snow_Blow is able to replicate well the existing distribution of accumulating snow and snow erosion as recorded in and around Blue Ice Areas. Lastly, a variety of model parameters are tested, including depositional distance and erosion vs wind speed, to provide the most likely input parameters for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Journal of Glaciology West Antarctica Cambridge University Press Journal of Glaciology 65 254 957 970 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Wind-driven snow redistribution can increase the spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation on ice caps and ice sheets, and may prove crucial for the initiation and survival of glaciers in areas of marginal glaciation. We present a snowdrift model (Snow_Blow), which extends and improves the model of Purves, Mackaness and Sugden (1999, Journal of Quaternary Science 14, 313–321). The model calculates spatial variations in relative snow accumulation that result from variations in topography, using a digital elevation model (DEM) and wind direction as inputs. Improvements include snow redistribution using a flux routing algorithm, DEM resolution independence and the addition of a slope curvature component. This paper tests Snow_Blow in Antarctica (a modern environment) and reveals its potential for application in palaeoenvironmental settings, where input meteorological data are unavailable and difficult to estimate. Specifically, Snow_Blow is applied to the Ellsworth Mountains in West Antarctica where ablation is considered to be predominantly related to wind erosion processes. We find that Snow_Blow is able to replicate well the existing distribution of accumulating snow and snow erosion as recorded in and around Blue Ice Areas. Lastly, a variety of model parameters are tested, including depositional distance and erosion vs wind speed, to provide the most likely input parameters for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mills, Stephanie C. Le Brocq, Anne M. Winter, Kate Smith, Michael Hillier, John Ardakova, Ekaterina Boston, Clare M. Sugden, David Woodward, John |
spellingShingle |
Mills, Stephanie C. Le Brocq, Anne M. Winter, Kate Smith, Michael Hillier, John Ardakova, Ekaterina Boston, Clare M. Sugden, David Woodward, John Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
author_facet |
Mills, Stephanie C. Le Brocq, Anne M. Winter, Kate Smith, Michael Hillier, John Ardakova, Ekaterina Boston, Clare M. Sugden, David Woodward, John |
author_sort |
Mills, Stephanie C. |
title |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_short |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_full |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_sort |
testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (snow_blow) in the ellsworth mountains, antarctica |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2019.70 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143019000704 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Journal of Glaciology West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Journal of Glaciology West Antarctica |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 65, issue 254, page 957-970 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2019.70 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
65 |
container_issue |
254 |
container_start_page |
957 |
op_container_end_page |
970 |
_version_ |
1810289256176812032 |