Using remotely sensed data from AIRS to estimate the vapor flux on the Greenland ice sheet: Comparisons with observations and a regional climate model ...

• Main Authors: Boisvert, Linette N., Lee, Jae N., Lenaerts, Jan T. M., Noël, Brice, Broeke, Michiel R. Van Den, Nolin, Anne W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: AGU 2016
• Subjects: Greenland; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.13016/m2zjy0-xnxm; https://mdsoar.org/handle/11603/28606

Mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) in recent years has been dominated by runoff from surface melt. It is currently being studied extensively, while little interest has been given to the smallest component of surface mass balance (SMB): the vapor flux. Although poorly understood, it is not negligible and could potentially play a larger role in SMB in a warming climate where temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation changes remain uncertain. Here we present an innovative approach to estimate the vapor flux using the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) version 6 data and a modified vapor flux model (BMF13) over the GrIS between 2003 and 2014. One modification to the BMF13 model includes a new Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer surface aerodynamic roughness product, which likely produces more accurate estimates of the drag coefficient on the ice sheet. When comparing AIRS data with GC-Net and Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet automatic weather station observations of skin ...