Observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western Greenland
Snow algal bloom is a common phenomenon on melting snowpacks in polar and alpine regions and can substantially increase snow melt rates due to the effect of albedo reduction on the snow surface. In order to reproduce algal growth on the snow surface using a numerical model, temporal changes in snow...
Published in: | The Cryosphere |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Text |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2147-2018 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/12/2147/2018/ |
id |
ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tc63157 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tc63157 2023-05-15T16:21:14+02:00 Observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western Greenland Onuma, Yukihiko Takeuchi, Nozomu Tanaka, Sota Nagatsuka, Naoko Niwano, Masashi Aoki, Teruo 2019-01-08 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2147-2018 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/12/2147/2018/ eng eng doi:10.5194/tc-12-2147-2018 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/12/2147/2018/ eISSN: 1994-0424 Text 2019 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2147-2018 2020-07-20T16:23:13Z Snow algal bloom is a common phenomenon on melting snowpacks in polar and alpine regions and can substantially increase snow melt rates due to the effect of albedo reduction on the snow surface. In order to reproduce algal growth on the snow surface using a numerical model, temporal changes in snow algal abundance were investigated on the Qaanaaq Glacier in north-western Greenland from June to August 2014. Snow algae first appeared at the study sites in late June, which was approximately 94 h after air temperatures exceeded the melting point. Algal abundance increased exponentially after this appearance, but the increasing rate became slow after late July, and finally reached 3.5 × 10 7 cells m −2 in early August. We applied a logistic model to the algal growth curve and found that the algae could be reproduced with an initial cell concentration of 6.9 × 10 2 cells m −2 , a growth rate of 0.42 d −1 , and a carrying capacity of 3.5 × 10 7 cells m −2 on this glacier. This model has the potential to simulate algal blooms from meteorological data sets and to evaluate their impact on the melting of seasonal snowpacks and glaciers. Text glacier Greenland Qaanaaq Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Greenland Qaanaaq ENVELOPE(-69.232,-69.232,77.467,77.467) The Cryosphere 12 6 2147 2158 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
op_collection_id |
ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
Snow algal bloom is a common phenomenon on melting snowpacks in polar and alpine regions and can substantially increase snow melt rates due to the effect of albedo reduction on the snow surface. In order to reproduce algal growth on the snow surface using a numerical model, temporal changes in snow algal abundance were investigated on the Qaanaaq Glacier in north-western Greenland from June to August 2014. Snow algae first appeared at the study sites in late June, which was approximately 94 h after air temperatures exceeded the melting point. Algal abundance increased exponentially after this appearance, but the increasing rate became slow after late July, and finally reached 3.5 × 10 7 cells m −2 in early August. We applied a logistic model to the algal growth curve and found that the algae could be reproduced with an initial cell concentration of 6.9 × 10 2 cells m −2 , a growth rate of 0.42 d −1 , and a carrying capacity of 3.5 × 10 7 cells m −2 on this glacier. This model has the potential to simulate algal blooms from meteorological data sets and to evaluate their impact on the melting of seasonal snowpacks and glaciers. |
format |
Text |
author |
Onuma, Yukihiko Takeuchi, Nozomu Tanaka, Sota Nagatsuka, Naoko Niwano, Masashi Aoki, Teruo |
spellingShingle |
Onuma, Yukihiko Takeuchi, Nozomu Tanaka, Sota Nagatsuka, Naoko Niwano, Masashi Aoki, Teruo Observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western Greenland |
author_facet |
Onuma, Yukihiko Takeuchi, Nozomu Tanaka, Sota Nagatsuka, Naoko Niwano, Masashi Aoki, Teruo |
author_sort |
Onuma, Yukihiko |
title |
Observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western Greenland |
title_short |
Observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western Greenland |
title_full |
Observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western Greenland |
title_fullStr |
Observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western Greenland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western Greenland |
title_sort |
observations and modelling of algal growth on a snowpack in north-western greenland |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2147-2018 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/12/2147/2018/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-69.232,-69.232,77.467,77.467) |
geographic |
Greenland Qaanaaq |
geographic_facet |
Greenland Qaanaaq |
genre |
glacier Greenland Qaanaaq |
genre_facet |
glacier Greenland Qaanaaq |
op_source |
eISSN: 1994-0424 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-12-2147-2018 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/12/2147/2018/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2147-2018 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
2147 |
op_container_end_page |
2158 |
_version_ |
1766009246992826368 |