Energetics of surface melt in West Antarctica
We use reanalysis data and satellite remote sensing of cloud properties to examine how meteorological conditions alter the surface energy balance to cause surface melt that is detectable in satellite passive microwave imagery over West Antarctica. This analysis can detect each of the three primary m...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tc90475 2023-05-15T14:02:17+02:00 Energetics of surface melt in West Antarctica Ghiz, Madison L. Scott, Ryan C. Vogelmann, Andrew M. Lenaerts, Jan T. M. Lazzara, Matthew Lubin, Dan 2021-07-26 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3459-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3459/2021/ eng eng doi:10.5194/tc-15-3459-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3459/2021/ eISSN: 1994-0424 Text 2021 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3459-2021 2021-08-02T16:22:29Z We use reanalysis data and satellite remote sensing of cloud properties to examine how meteorological conditions alter the surface energy balance to cause surface melt that is detectable in satellite passive microwave imagery over West Antarctica. This analysis can detect each of the three primary mechanisms for inducing surface melt at a specific location: thermal blanketing involving sensible heat flux and/or longwave heating by optically thick cloud cover, all-wave radiative enhancement by optically thin cloud cover, and föhn winds. We examine case studies over Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, which are of interest for ice shelf and ice sheet stability, and over Siple Dome, which is more readily accessible for field work. During January 2015 over Siple Dome we identified a melt event whose origin is an all-wave radiative enhancement by optically thin clouds. During December 2011 over Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, we identified a melt event caused mainly by thermal blanketing from optically thick clouds. Over Siple Dome, those same 2011 synoptic conditions yielded a thermal-blanketing-driven melt event that was initiated by an impulse of sensible heat flux and then prolonged by cloud longwave heating. The December 2011 synoptic conditions also generated föhn winds at a location on the Ross Ice Shelf adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains, and we analyze this case with additional support from automatic weather station data. In contrast, a late-summer thermal blanketing period over Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers during February 2013 showed surface melt initiated by cloud longwave heating and then prolonged by enhanced sensible heat flux. One limitation thus far with this type of analysis involves uncertainties in the cloud optical properties. Nevertheless, with improvements this type of analysis can enable quantitative prediction of atmospheric stress on the vulnerable Antarctic ice shelves in a steadily warming climate. Text Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Pine Island Ross Ice Shelf West Antarctica Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Antarctic Ross Ice Shelf Siple ENVELOPE(-83.917,-83.917,-75.917,-75.917) Siple Dome ENVELOPE(-148.833,-148.833,-81.667,-81.667) Transantarctic Mountains West Antarctica The Cryosphere 15 7 3459 3494 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
We use reanalysis data and satellite remote sensing of cloud properties to examine how meteorological conditions alter the surface energy balance to cause surface melt that is detectable in satellite passive microwave imagery over West Antarctica. This analysis can detect each of the three primary mechanisms for inducing surface melt at a specific location: thermal blanketing involving sensible heat flux and/or longwave heating by optically thick cloud cover, all-wave radiative enhancement by optically thin cloud cover, and föhn winds. We examine case studies over Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, which are of interest for ice shelf and ice sheet stability, and over Siple Dome, which is more readily accessible for field work. During January 2015 over Siple Dome we identified a melt event whose origin is an all-wave radiative enhancement by optically thin clouds. During December 2011 over Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, we identified a melt event caused mainly by thermal blanketing from optically thick clouds. Over Siple Dome, those same 2011 synoptic conditions yielded a thermal-blanketing-driven melt event that was initiated by an impulse of sensible heat flux and then prolonged by cloud longwave heating. The December 2011 synoptic conditions also generated föhn winds at a location on the Ross Ice Shelf adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains, and we analyze this case with additional support from automatic weather station data. In contrast, a late-summer thermal blanketing period over Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers during February 2013 showed surface melt initiated by cloud longwave heating and then prolonged by enhanced sensible heat flux. One limitation thus far with this type of analysis involves uncertainties in the cloud optical properties. Nevertheless, with improvements this type of analysis can enable quantitative prediction of atmospheric stress on the vulnerable Antarctic ice shelves in a steadily warming climate. |
format |
Text |
author |
Ghiz, Madison L. Scott, Ryan C. Vogelmann, Andrew M. Lenaerts, Jan T. M. Lazzara, Matthew Lubin, Dan |
spellingShingle |
Ghiz, Madison L. Scott, Ryan C. Vogelmann, Andrew M. Lenaerts, Jan T. M. Lazzara, Matthew Lubin, Dan Energetics of surface melt in West Antarctica |
author_facet |
Ghiz, Madison L. Scott, Ryan C. Vogelmann, Andrew M. Lenaerts, Jan T. M. Lazzara, Matthew Lubin, Dan |
author_sort |
Ghiz, Madison L. |
title |
Energetics of surface melt in West Antarctica |
title_short |
Energetics of surface melt in West Antarctica |
title_full |
Energetics of surface melt in West Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Energetics of surface melt in West Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Energetics of surface melt in West Antarctica |
title_sort |
energetics of surface melt in west antarctica |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3459-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3459/2021/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-83.917,-83.917,-75.917,-75.917) ENVELOPE(-148.833,-148.833,-81.667,-81.667) |
geographic |
Antarctic Ross Ice Shelf Siple Siple Dome Transantarctic Mountains West Antarctica |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Ross Ice Shelf Siple Siple Dome Transantarctic Mountains West Antarctica |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Pine Island Ross Ice Shelf West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Pine Island Ross Ice Shelf West Antarctica |
op_source |
eISSN: 1994-0424 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-15-3459-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3459/2021/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3459-2021 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
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15 |
container_issue |
7 |
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3459 |
op_container_end_page |
3494 |
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1766272452604723200 |