Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier
Few surface energy balance models for debris-covered glaciers account for the presence of moisture in the debris, which invariably affects the debris layer's thermal properties and, in turn, the surface energy balance and sub-debris melt of a debris-covered glacier. We adapted the interactions...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:c97f854ffc004f52a7cd0e32481abc29 2023-05-15T18:32:29+02:00 Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier A. Giese A. Boone P. Wagnon R. Hawley 2020-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020 https://doaj.org/article/c97f854ffc004f52a7cd0e32481abc29 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1555/2020/tc-14-1555-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/c97f854ffc004f52a7cd0e32481abc29 The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 1555-1577 (2020) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020 2022-12-31T05:10:00Z Few surface energy balance models for debris-covered glaciers account for the presence of moisture in the debris, which invariably affects the debris layer's thermal properties and, in turn, the surface energy balance and sub-debris melt of a debris-covered glacier. We adapted the interactions between soil, biosphere, and atmosphere (ISBA) land surface model within the SURFace EXternalisée (SURFEX) platform to represent glacier debris rather than soil (referred to hereafter as ISBA-DEB). The new ISBA-DEB model includes the varying content, transport, and state of moisture in debris with depth and through time. It robustly simulates not only the thermal evolution of the glacier–debris–snow column but also moisture transport and phase changes within the debris – and how these, in turn, affect conductive and latent heat fluxes. We discuss the key developments in the adapted ISBA-DEB and demonstrate the capabilities of the model, including how the time- and depth-varying thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity depend on evolving temperature and moisture. Sensitivity tests emphasize the importance of accurately constraining the roughness lengths and surface slope. Emissivity, in comparison to other tested parameters, has less of an effect on melt. ISBA-DEB builds on existing work to represent the energy balance of a supraglacial debris layer through time in its novel application of a land surface model to debris-covered glaciers. Comparison of measured and simulated debris temperatures suggests that ISBA-DEB includes some – but not all – processes relevant to melt under highly permeable debris. Future work, informed by further observations, should explore the importance of advection and vapor transfer in the energy balance. Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 14 5 1555 1577 |
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 A. Giese A. Boone P. Wagnon R. Hawley Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Few surface energy balance models for debris-covered glaciers account for the presence of moisture in the debris, which invariably affects the debris layer's thermal properties and, in turn, the surface energy balance and sub-debris melt of a debris-covered glacier. We adapted the interactions between soil, biosphere, and atmosphere (ISBA) land surface model within the SURFace EXternalisée (SURFEX) platform to represent glacier debris rather than soil (referred to hereafter as ISBA-DEB). The new ISBA-DEB model includes the varying content, transport, and state of moisture in debris with depth and through time. It robustly simulates not only the thermal evolution of the glacier–debris–snow column but also moisture transport and phase changes within the debris – and how these, in turn, affect conductive and latent heat fluxes. We discuss the key developments in the adapted ISBA-DEB and demonstrate the capabilities of the model, including how the time- and depth-varying thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity depend on evolving temperature and moisture. Sensitivity tests emphasize the importance of accurately constraining the roughness lengths and surface slope. Emissivity, in comparison to other tested parameters, has less of an effect on melt. ISBA-DEB builds on existing work to represent the energy balance of a supraglacial debris layer through time in its novel application of a land surface model to debris-covered glaciers. Comparison of measured and simulated debris temperatures suggests that ISBA-DEB includes some – but not all – processes relevant to melt under highly permeable debris. Future work, informed by further observations, should explore the importance of advection and vapor transfer in the energy balance. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
A. Giese A. Boone P. Wagnon R. Hawley |
author_facet |
A. Giese A. Boone P. Wagnon R. Hawley |
author_sort |
A. Giese |
title |
Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier |
title_short |
Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier |
title_full |
Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier |
title_fullStr |
Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier |
title_full_unstemmed |
Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier |
title_sort |
incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020 https://doaj.org/article/c97f854ffc004f52a7cd0e32481abc29 |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 1555-1577 (2020) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/14/1555/2020/tc-14-1555-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/c97f854ffc004f52a7cd0e32481abc29 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1555 |
op_container_end_page |
1577 |
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1766216592605052928 |