Snowfall in high southern latitudes

• Main Author: David H. Bromwich
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1988
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.670.2288; http://polarmet.osu.edu/PMG_publications/bromwich_rg_1988.pdf

Precipitation over Antarctica is an important climatic variable whose study has been limited by the frequent inability to discriminate between actual snow precipitation and drifting snow. Recent advances in point precipitation measurements promise to circumvent this problem. In addition, indirect estimates based upon t(h)•e atmospheric water balance equation pr vide seasonal precipitation amou ts for areas l r- ger than I xl km 2. For broad-scale studies in the continental interior net snow accumulation closely approximates precipitation. Annual precipitation is relatively high over the marginal ice slopes in relation to amounts in the interior. This meridional distribution is due to the orographic lifting of moist air by the ice sheet. Zonal precipitation variations are related to the quasi-stationary c clones in the circumpolar low-pressure trough. Most precipitation falls in winter, when the average moisture content of the air is low. The intensity of cyclonic activity is the key factor governing the amount of precipitation and its variations. Precipitation generation in coastal regions is strongly influenced by the fact that poleward moving, moist maritime air masses are deflected by the steep marginal ice slopes to blow parallel to the terrain contours. Direct orographic lifting with accompanying adiabatic ooling is the dominant precipitation formation mechanism inland of the l-kin elevation contour; intrusions of moist air far into the continent are accompanied by southerly winds through a deep tropospheric layer. Above 3000 m elevation where terrain slopes are gentle, radiative cooling is the primary mechanism by which saturation is maintained within moist air, and thus by which precipitation is formed. Most pre-cipitation at these elevations falls from clear skies. This phenomenon does not differ from precipi-tation originating in clouds but is a direct result of the low moisture content of the air, and hence ice layers are optically too thin to be visible as clouds. 1.