Climate and energy balance of the ground in University Valley, Antarctica
Abstract We report 3 years of data from one meteorological and three smaller stations in University Valley, a high-elevation (1677 m) site in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica with extensive dry permafrost. Mean air temperature was -23.4°C. Summer air temperatures were virtually always < 0°C and were...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2022
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102022000025 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102022000025 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102022000025 2024-05-19T07:29:49+00:00 Climate and energy balance of the ground in University Valley, Antarctica Marinova, Margarita M. McKay, Christopher P. Heldmann, Jennifer L. Goordial, Jacqueline Lacelle, Denis Pollard, Wayne H. Davila, Alfonso F. NASA ASTEP Program 2022 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102022000025 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102022000025 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Antarctic Science volume 34, issue 2, page 144-171 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 journal-article 2022 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102022000025 2024-05-02T06:51:17Z Abstract We report 3 years of data from one meteorological and three smaller stations in University Valley, a high-elevation (1677 m) site in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica with extensive dry permafrost. Mean air temperature was -23.4°C. Summer air temperatures were virtually always < 0°C and were consistent with the altitude lapse rate and empirical relationships between summer temperature, distance from the coast and elevation. The measured frost point (-22.5°C) at the 42 cm deep ice table is equal to the surface frost point and above the atmospheric frost point (-29.6°C), providing direct evidence that surface conditions control ground ice depth. Observed peak surface soil temperatures reach 6°C for ice-cemented ground > 15 cm deep but stay < 0°C when it is shallower. We develop an energy balance model tuned to this rocky and dry environment. We find that differences in peak soil surface temperatures are primarily due to the higher thermal diffusivity of ice-cemented ground compared to dry soil. Sensitivity studies show that expected natural variability is insufficient for melt to form and significant excursions from current conditions are required. The site's ice table meets the criteria for a Special Region on Mars, with 30% of the year > -18°C and water activity > 0.6. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice permafrost Cambridge University Press Antarctic Science 34 2 144 171 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract We report 3 years of data from one meteorological and three smaller stations in University Valley, a high-elevation (1677 m) site in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica with extensive dry permafrost. Mean air temperature was -23.4°C. Summer air temperatures were virtually always < 0°C and were consistent with the altitude lapse rate and empirical relationships between summer temperature, distance from the coast and elevation. The measured frost point (-22.5°C) at the 42 cm deep ice table is equal to the surface frost point and above the atmospheric frost point (-29.6°C), providing direct evidence that surface conditions control ground ice depth. Observed peak surface soil temperatures reach 6°C for ice-cemented ground > 15 cm deep but stay < 0°C when it is shallower. We develop an energy balance model tuned to this rocky and dry environment. We find that differences in peak soil surface temperatures are primarily due to the higher thermal diffusivity of ice-cemented ground compared to dry soil. Sensitivity studies show that expected natural variability is insufficient for melt to form and significant excursions from current conditions are required. The site's ice table meets the criteria for a Special Region on Mars, with 30% of the year > -18°C and water activity > 0.6. |
author2 |
NASA ASTEP Program |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Marinova, Margarita M. McKay, Christopher P. Heldmann, Jennifer L. Goordial, Jacqueline Lacelle, Denis Pollard, Wayne H. Davila, Alfonso F. |
spellingShingle |
Marinova, Margarita M. McKay, Christopher P. Heldmann, Jennifer L. Goordial, Jacqueline Lacelle, Denis Pollard, Wayne H. Davila, Alfonso F. Climate and energy balance of the ground in University Valley, Antarctica |
author_facet |
Marinova, Margarita M. McKay, Christopher P. Heldmann, Jennifer L. Goordial, Jacqueline Lacelle, Denis Pollard, Wayne H. Davila, Alfonso F. |
author_sort |
Marinova, Margarita M. |
title |
Climate and energy balance of the ground in University Valley, Antarctica |
title_short |
Climate and energy balance of the ground in University Valley, Antarctica |
title_full |
Climate and energy balance of the ground in University Valley, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Climate and energy balance of the ground in University Valley, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Climate and energy balance of the ground in University Valley, Antarctica |
title_sort |
climate and energy balance of the ground in university valley, antarctica |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102022000025 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102022000025 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice permafrost |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice permafrost |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 34, issue 2, page 144-171 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102022000025 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
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34 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
144 |
op_container_end_page |
171 |
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1799481600983957504 |