Evaluation of the updated regional climate model RACMO2.3: summer snowfall impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet
We discuss Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) surface mass balance (SMB) differences between the updated polar version of the RACMO climate model (RACMO2.3) and the previous version (RACMO2.1). Among other revisions, the updated model includes an adjusted rainfall-to-snowfall conversion that produces exclus...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:59680bc34f3f474e8b558653d9a6ebbe 2023-05-15T16:27:52+02:00 Evaluation of the updated regional climate model RACMO2.3: summer snowfall impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet B. Noël W. J. van de Berg E. van Meijgaard P. Kuipers Munneke R. S. W. van de Wal M. R. van den Broeke 2015-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1831-2015 https://doaj.org/article/59680bc34f3f474e8b558653d9a6ebbe EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.the-cryosphere.net/9/1831/2015/tc-9-1831-2015.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 1994-0416 1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-9-1831-2015 https://doaj.org/article/59680bc34f3f474e8b558653d9a6ebbe The Cryosphere, Vol 9, Iss 5, Pp 1831-1844 (2015) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2015 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1831-2015 2022-12-31T00:55:28Z We discuss Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) surface mass balance (SMB) differences between the updated polar version of the RACMO climate model (RACMO2.3) and the previous version (RACMO2.1). Among other revisions, the updated model includes an adjusted rainfall-to-snowfall conversion that produces exclusively snowfall under freezing conditions; this especially favours snowfall in summer. Summer snowfall in the ablation zone of the GrIS has a pronounced effect on melt rates, affecting modelled GrIS SMB in two ways. By covering relatively dark ice with highly reflective fresh snow, these summer snowfalls have the potential to locally reduce melt rates in the ablation zone of the GrIS through the snow-albedo-melt feedback. At larger scales, SMB changes are driven by differences in orographic precipitation following a shift in large-scale circulation, in combination with enhanced moisture to precipitation conversion for warm to moderately cold conditions. A detailed comparison of model output with observations from automatic weather stations, ice cores and ablation stakes shows that the model update generally improves the simulated SMB-elevation gradient as well as the representation of the surface energy balance, although significant biases remain. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Greenland The Cryosphere 9 5 1831 1844 |
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 B. Noël W. J. van de Berg E. van Meijgaard P. Kuipers Munneke R. S. W. van de Wal M. R. van den Broeke Evaluation of the updated regional climate model RACMO2.3: summer snowfall impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
We discuss Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) surface mass balance (SMB) differences between the updated polar version of the RACMO climate model (RACMO2.3) and the previous version (RACMO2.1). Among other revisions, the updated model includes an adjusted rainfall-to-snowfall conversion that produces exclusively snowfall under freezing conditions; this especially favours snowfall in summer. Summer snowfall in the ablation zone of the GrIS has a pronounced effect on melt rates, affecting modelled GrIS SMB in two ways. By covering relatively dark ice with highly reflective fresh snow, these summer snowfalls have the potential to locally reduce melt rates in the ablation zone of the GrIS through the snow-albedo-melt feedback. At larger scales, SMB changes are driven by differences in orographic precipitation following a shift in large-scale circulation, in combination with enhanced moisture to precipitation conversion for warm to moderately cold conditions. A detailed comparison of model output with observations from automatic weather stations, ice cores and ablation stakes shows that the model update generally improves the simulated SMB-elevation gradient as well as the representation of the surface energy balance, although significant biases remain. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
B. Noël W. J. van de Berg E. van Meijgaard P. Kuipers Munneke R. S. W. van de Wal M. R. van den Broeke |
author_facet |
B. Noël W. J. van de Berg E. van Meijgaard P. Kuipers Munneke R. S. W. van de Wal M. R. van den Broeke |
author_sort |
B. Noël |
title |
Evaluation of the updated regional climate model RACMO2.3: summer snowfall impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_short |
Evaluation of the updated regional climate model RACMO2.3: summer snowfall impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_full |
Evaluation of the updated regional climate model RACMO2.3: summer snowfall impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_fullStr |
Evaluation of the updated regional climate model RACMO2.3: summer snowfall impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_full_unstemmed |
Evaluation of the updated regional climate model RACMO2.3: summer snowfall impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_sort |
evaluation of the updated regional climate model racmo2.3: summer snowfall impact on the greenland ice sheet |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1831-2015 https://doaj.org/article/59680bc34f3f474e8b558653d9a6ebbe |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 9, Iss 5, Pp 1831-1844 (2015) |
op_relation |
http://www.the-cryosphere.net/9/1831/2015/tc-9-1831-2015.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 1994-0416 1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-9-1831-2015 https://doaj.org/article/59680bc34f3f474e8b558653d9a6ebbe |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1831-2015 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1831 |
op_container_end_page |
1844 |
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