Air Temperature and Precipitation on the Greenland Ice Sheet

Abstract Mean annual air temperatures and precipitation on the Greenland Ice Sheet, as estimated from snow profile studies and long-term meteorological records at coastal stations, have been used to prepare mean annual air temperature and mean annual precipitation charts for the Greenland Ice Sheet....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Glaciology
Main Author: Diamond, Marvin
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1960
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000023674
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000023674
Description
Summary:Abstract Mean annual air temperatures and precipitation on the Greenland Ice Sheet, as estimated from snow profile studies and long-term meteorological records at coastal stations, have been used to prepare mean annual air temperature and mean annual precipitation charts for the Greenland Ice Sheet. It is shown that melting of surface snow may occur at elevations of about 1,300 m. in north Greenland and up to 2,700 m. in south Greenland. The warming trend in the Arctic, as indicated by increases in mean annual air temperature, may have occurred to a lesser extent on the ice sheet than at sea-level coastal stations. Annual accumulation of precipitation is two or three times as great at 2,700 m. on the west side of the ice sheet as at the crest. South of lat. 66° N., precipitation may be about twice as great on the east side of the crest as on the west side.