Effects of climatic perturbations on the equilibrium-line altitude, West Greenland

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Ambach, Walter
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1993
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Greenland; Ice Sheet; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000015665; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000015665

Abstract Perturbation analysis is applied to the heat balance at the EGIG line (West Greenland) with respect to climatic changes. The shift of the equilibrium-line altitude is obtained for perturbations of temperature, absolute humidity, cloudiness and annual accumulation. The total net ice ablation at the EGIG line increases by 45% with a perturbation of + 1 K. Applying this figure to the entire ice sheet, the total ablation equals the total accumulation at a warming of + 2 K, if refreezing of melt water is neglected.