The modelled liquid water balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet
Recent studies indicate that the surface mass balance will dominate the Greenland Ice Sheet's (GrIS) contribution to 21st century sea level rise. Consequently, it is crucial to understand the liquid water balance (LWB) of the ice sheet and its response to increasing surface melt. We therefore a...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:3bfb819e0ba649bc99d4741d3ed0bc3f 2023-05-15T16:28:31+02:00 The modelled liquid water balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet C. R. Steger C. H. Reijmer M. R. van den Broeke 2017-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2507-2017 https://doaj.org/article/3bfb819e0ba649bc99d4741d3ed0bc3f EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/11/2507/2017/tc-11-2507-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-11-2507-2017 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/3bfb819e0ba649bc99d4741d3ed0bc3f The Cryosphere, Vol 11, Pp 2507-2526 (2017) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2507-2017 2022-12-31T15:41:53Z Recent studies indicate that the surface mass balance will dominate the Greenland Ice Sheet's (GrIS) contribution to 21st century sea level rise. Consequently, it is crucial to understand the liquid water balance (LWB) of the ice sheet and its response to increasing surface melt. We therefore analyse a firn simulation conducted with the SNOWPACK model for the GrIS and over the period 1960–2014 with a special focus on the LWB and refreezing. Evaluations of the simulated refreezing climate with GRACE and firn temperature observations indicate a good model–observation agreement. Results of the LWB analysis reveal a spatially uniform increase in surface melt (0.16 m w.e. a −1 ) during 1990–2014. As a response, refreezing and run-off also indicate positive changes during this period (0.05 and 0.11 m w.e. a −1 , respectively), where refreezing increases at only half the rate of run-off, implying that the majority of the additional liquid input runs off the ice sheet. This pattern of refreeze and run-off is spatially variable. For instance, in the south-eastern part of the GrIS, most of the additional liquid input is buffered in the firn layer due to relatively high snowfall rates. Modelled increase in refreezing leads to a decrease in firn air content and to a substantial increase in near-surface firn temperature. On the western side of the ice sheet, modelled firn temperature increases are highest in the lower accumulation zone and are primarily caused by the exceptional melt season of 2012. On the eastern side, simulated firn temperature increases are more gradual and are associated with the migration of firn aquifers to higher elevations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Greenland The Cryosphere 11 6 2507 2526 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 C. R. Steger C. H. Reijmer M. R. van den Broeke The modelled liquid water balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Recent studies indicate that the surface mass balance will dominate the Greenland Ice Sheet's (GrIS) contribution to 21st century sea level rise. Consequently, it is crucial to understand the liquid water balance (LWB) of the ice sheet and its response to increasing surface melt. We therefore analyse a firn simulation conducted with the SNOWPACK model for the GrIS and over the period 1960–2014 with a special focus on the LWB and refreezing. Evaluations of the simulated refreezing climate with GRACE and firn temperature observations indicate a good model–observation agreement. Results of the LWB analysis reveal a spatially uniform increase in surface melt (0.16 m w.e. a −1 ) during 1990–2014. As a response, refreezing and run-off also indicate positive changes during this period (0.05 and 0.11 m w.e. a −1 , respectively), where refreezing increases at only half the rate of run-off, implying that the majority of the additional liquid input runs off the ice sheet. This pattern of refreeze and run-off is spatially variable. For instance, in the south-eastern part of the GrIS, most of the additional liquid input is buffered in the firn layer due to relatively high snowfall rates. Modelled increase in refreezing leads to a decrease in firn air content and to a substantial increase in near-surface firn temperature. On the western side of the ice sheet, modelled firn temperature increases are highest in the lower accumulation zone and are primarily caused by the exceptional melt season of 2012. On the eastern side, simulated firn temperature increases are more gradual and are associated with the migration of firn aquifers to higher elevations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
C. R. Steger C. H. Reijmer M. R. van den Broeke |
author_facet |
C. R. Steger C. H. Reijmer M. R. van den Broeke |
author_sort |
C. R. Steger |
title |
The modelled liquid water balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_short |
The modelled liquid water balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_full |
The modelled liquid water balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_fullStr |
The modelled liquid water balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_full_unstemmed |
The modelled liquid water balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_sort |
modelled liquid water balance of the greenland ice sheet |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2507-2017 https://doaj.org/article/3bfb819e0ba649bc99d4741d3ed0bc3f |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 11, Pp 2507-2526 (2017) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/11/2507/2017/tc-11-2507-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-11-2507-2017 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/3bfb819e0ba649bc99d4741d3ed0bc3f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2507-2017 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
2507 |
op_container_end_page |
2526 |
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1766018173791895552 |