Application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon
Abstract Glacier surficial melt rates are commonly modelled using surface energy balance (SEB) models, with outputs applied to extend point-based mass-balance measurements to regional scales, assess water resource availability, examine supraglacial hydrology and to investigate the relationship betwe...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.106 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143020001069 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/jog.2020.106 2024-03-03T08:44:41+00:00 Application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon Hill, Tim Dow, Christine F. Bash, Eleanor A. Copland, Luke 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.106 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143020001069 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Journal of Glaciology volume 67, issue 262, page 297-312 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 2020 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.106 2024-02-08T08:36:02Z Abstract Glacier surficial melt rates are commonly modelled using surface energy balance (SEB) models, with outputs applied to extend point-based mass-balance measurements to regional scales, assess water resource availability, examine supraglacial hydrology and to investigate the relationship between surface melt and ice dynamics. We present an improved SEB model that addresses the primary limitations of existing models by: (1) deriving high-resolution (30 m) surface albedo from Landsat 8 imagery, (2) calculating shadows cast onto the glacier surface by high-relief topography to model incident shortwave radiation, (3) developing an algorithm to map debris sufficiently thick to insulate the glacier surface and (4) presenting a formulation of the SEB model coupled to a subsurface heat conduction model. We drive the model with 6 years of in situ meteorological data from Kaskawulsh Glacier and Nàłùdäy (Lowell) Glacier in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, Canada, and validate outputs against in situ measurements. Modelled seasonal melt agrees with observations within 9% across a range of elevations on both glaciers in years with high-quality in situ observations. We recommend applying the model to investigate the impacts of surface melt for individual glaciers when sufficient input data are available. Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier* Journal of Glaciology Yukon Cambridge University Press Yukon Canada Kaskawulsh Glacier ENVELOPE(-139.104,-139.104,60.749,60.749) Lowell Glacier ENVELOPE(-138.254,-138.254,60.299,60.299) Journal of Glaciology 67 262 297 312 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
spellingShingle |
Earth-Surface Processes Hill, Tim Dow, Christine F. Bash, Eleanor A. Copland, Luke Application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon |
topic_facet |
Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract Glacier surficial melt rates are commonly modelled using surface energy balance (SEB) models, with outputs applied to extend point-based mass-balance measurements to regional scales, assess water resource availability, examine supraglacial hydrology and to investigate the relationship between surface melt and ice dynamics. We present an improved SEB model that addresses the primary limitations of existing models by: (1) deriving high-resolution (30 m) surface albedo from Landsat 8 imagery, (2) calculating shadows cast onto the glacier surface by high-relief topography to model incident shortwave radiation, (3) developing an algorithm to map debris sufficiently thick to insulate the glacier surface and (4) presenting a formulation of the SEB model coupled to a subsurface heat conduction model. We drive the model with 6 years of in situ meteorological data from Kaskawulsh Glacier and Nàłùdäy (Lowell) Glacier in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, Canada, and validate outputs against in situ measurements. Modelled seasonal melt agrees with observations within 9% across a range of elevations on both glaciers in years with high-quality in situ observations. We recommend applying the model to investigate the impacts of surface melt for individual glaciers when sufficient input data are available. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hill, Tim Dow, Christine F. Bash, Eleanor A. Copland, Luke |
author_facet |
Hill, Tim Dow, Christine F. Bash, Eleanor A. Copland, Luke |
author_sort |
Hill, Tim |
title |
Application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon |
title_short |
Application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon |
title_full |
Application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon |
title_fullStr |
Application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon |
title_full_unstemmed |
Application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon |
title_sort |
application of an improved surface energy balance model to two large valley glaciers in the st. elias mountains, yukon |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.106 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143020001069 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-139.104,-139.104,60.749,60.749) ENVELOPE(-138.254,-138.254,60.299,60.299) |
geographic |
Yukon Canada Kaskawulsh Glacier Lowell Glacier |
geographic_facet |
Yukon Canada Kaskawulsh Glacier Lowell Glacier |
genre |
glacier* Journal of Glaciology Yukon |
genre_facet |
glacier* Journal of Glaciology Yukon |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 67, issue 262, page 297-312 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.106 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
67 |
container_issue |
262 |
container_start_page |
297 |
op_container_end_page |
312 |
_version_ |
1792500165752389632 |