On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow
The Thorpe and Mason (TM) model for calculating the mass lost from a sublimating snow grain is the basis of all existing small- and large-scale estimates of drifting snow sublimation and the associated snow mass balance of polar and alpine regions. We revisit this model to test its validity for calc...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:492f96559b9340e8b036b26cdbbd532a 2023-05-15T18:32:25+02:00 On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow V. Sharma F. Comola M. Lehning 2018-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3499-2018 https://doaj.org/article/492f96559b9340e8b036b26cdbbd532a EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3499/2018/tc-12-3499-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-12-3499-2018 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/492f96559b9340e8b036b26cdbbd532a The Cryosphere, Vol 12, Pp 3499-3509 (2018) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3499-2018 2022-12-31T01:45:22Z The Thorpe and Mason (TM) model for calculating the mass lost from a sublimating snow grain is the basis of all existing small- and large-scale estimates of drifting snow sublimation and the associated snow mass balance of polar and alpine regions. We revisit this model to test its validity for calculating sublimation from saltating snow grains. It is shown that numerical solutions of the unsteady mass and heat balance equations of an individual snow grain reconcile well with the steady-state solution of the TM model, albeit after a transient regime. Using large-eddy simulations (LESs), it is found that the residence time of a typical saltating particle is shorter than the period of the transient regime, implying that using the steady-state solution might be erroneous. For scenarios with equal initial air and particle temperatures of 263.15 K, these errors range from 26 % for low-wind, low-saturation-rate conditions to 38 % for high-wind, high-saturation-rate conditions. With a small temperature difference of 1 K between the air and the snow particles, the errors due to the TM model are already as high as 100 % with errors increasing for larger temperature differences. Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 12 11 3499 3509 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
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 V. Sharma F. Comola M. Lehning On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The Thorpe and Mason (TM) model for calculating the mass lost from a sublimating snow grain is the basis of all existing small- and large-scale estimates of drifting snow sublimation and the associated snow mass balance of polar and alpine regions. We revisit this model to test its validity for calculating sublimation from saltating snow grains. It is shown that numerical solutions of the unsteady mass and heat balance equations of an individual snow grain reconcile well with the steady-state solution of the TM model, albeit after a transient regime. Using large-eddy simulations (LESs), it is found that the residence time of a typical saltating particle is shorter than the period of the transient regime, implying that using the steady-state solution might be erroneous. For scenarios with equal initial air and particle temperatures of 263.15 K, these errors range from 26 % for low-wind, low-saturation-rate conditions to 38 % for high-wind, high-saturation-rate conditions. With a small temperature difference of 1 K between the air and the snow particles, the errors due to the TM model are already as high as 100 % with errors increasing for larger temperature differences. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
V. Sharma F. Comola M. Lehning |
author_facet |
V. Sharma F. Comola M. Lehning |
author_sort |
V. Sharma |
title |
On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
title_short |
On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
title_full |
On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
title_fullStr |
On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
title_full_unstemmed |
On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
title_sort |
on the suitability of the thorpe–mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3499-2018 https://doaj.org/article/492f96559b9340e8b036b26cdbbd532a |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 12, Pp 3499-3509 (2018) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3499/2018/tc-12-3499-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-12-3499-2018 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/492f96559b9340e8b036b26cdbbd532a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3499-2018 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
3499 |
op_container_end_page |
3509 |
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1766216528151183360 |