Cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in East Antarctica
A new comprehensive cloud–precipitation–meteorological observatory has been established at Princess Elisabeth base, located in the escarpment zone of Dronning Maud Land (DML), East Antarctica. The observatory consists of a set of ground-based remote-sensing instruments (ceilometer, infrared pyromete...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d456eec12d4343d0b72aff9e0b9dc9eb 2023-05-15T13:54:20+02:00 Cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in East Antarctica I. V. Gorodetskaya S. Kneifel M. Maahn K. Van Tricht W. Thiery J. H. Schween A. Mangold S. Crewell N. P. M. Van Lipzig 2015-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-285-2015 https://doaj.org/article/d456eec12d4343d0b72aff9e0b9dc9eb EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.the-cryosphere.net/9/285/2015/tc-9-285-2015.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 1994-0416 1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-9-285-2015 https://doaj.org/article/d456eec12d4343d0b72aff9e0b9dc9eb The Cryosphere, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 285-304 (2015) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2015 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-285-2015 2022-12-31T08:18:06Z A new comprehensive cloud–precipitation–meteorological observatory has been established at Princess Elisabeth base, located in the escarpment zone of Dronning Maud Land (DML), East Antarctica. The observatory consists of a set of ground-based remote-sensing instruments (ceilometer, infrared pyrometer and vertically profiling precipitation radar) combined with automatic weather station measurements of near-surface meteorology, radiative fluxes, and snow height. In this paper, the observatory is presented and the potential for studying the evolution of clouds and precipitating systems is illustrated by case studies. It is shown that the synergetic use of the set of instruments allows for distinguishing ice, liquid-containing clouds and precipitating clouds, including some information on their vertical extent. In addition, wind-driven blowing snow events can be distinguished from deeper precipitating systems. Cloud properties largely affect the surface radiative fluxes, with liquid-containing clouds dominating the radiative impact. A statistical analysis of all measurements (in total 14 months mainly during summer–beginning of winter) indicates that these liquid-containing clouds occur during as much as 20% of the cloudy periods. The cloud occurrence shows a strong bimodal distribution with clear-sky conditions 51% of the time and complete overcast conditions 35% of the time. Snowfall occurred during 17% of the cloudy periods with a predominance of light precipitation and only rare events with snowfall >1 mm h −1 water equivalent (w.e.). Three of such intense snowfall events occurred during 2011 contributing to anomalously large annual surface mass balance (SMB). Large accumulation events (>10 mm w.e. day −1 ) during the radar-measurement period of 26 months were always associated with snowfall, but at the same time other snowfall events did not always lead to accumulation. The multiyear deployment of a precipitation radar in Antarctica allows for assessing the contribution of the snowfall to the local SMB ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica DML Dronning Maud Land East Antarctica The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles East Antarctica Dronning Maud Land Princess Elisabeth Base ENVELOPE(23.200,23.200,-71.570,-71.570) The Cryosphere 9 1 285 304 |
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 I. V. Gorodetskaya S. Kneifel M. Maahn K. Van Tricht W. Thiery J. H. Schween A. Mangold S. Crewell N. P. M. Van Lipzig Cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in East Antarctica |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
A new comprehensive cloud–precipitation–meteorological observatory has been established at Princess Elisabeth base, located in the escarpment zone of Dronning Maud Land (DML), East Antarctica. The observatory consists of a set of ground-based remote-sensing instruments (ceilometer, infrared pyrometer and vertically profiling precipitation radar) combined with automatic weather station measurements of near-surface meteorology, radiative fluxes, and snow height. In this paper, the observatory is presented and the potential for studying the evolution of clouds and precipitating systems is illustrated by case studies. It is shown that the synergetic use of the set of instruments allows for distinguishing ice, liquid-containing clouds and precipitating clouds, including some information on their vertical extent. In addition, wind-driven blowing snow events can be distinguished from deeper precipitating systems. Cloud properties largely affect the surface radiative fluxes, with liquid-containing clouds dominating the radiative impact. A statistical analysis of all measurements (in total 14 months mainly during summer–beginning of winter) indicates that these liquid-containing clouds occur during as much as 20% of the cloudy periods. The cloud occurrence shows a strong bimodal distribution with clear-sky conditions 51% of the time and complete overcast conditions 35% of the time. Snowfall occurred during 17% of the cloudy periods with a predominance of light precipitation and only rare events with snowfall >1 mm h −1 water equivalent (w.e.). Three of such intense snowfall events occurred during 2011 contributing to anomalously large annual surface mass balance (SMB). Large accumulation events (>10 mm w.e. day −1 ) during the radar-measurement period of 26 months were always associated with snowfall, but at the same time other snowfall events did not always lead to accumulation. The multiyear deployment of a precipitation radar in Antarctica allows for assessing the contribution of the snowfall to the local SMB ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
I. V. Gorodetskaya S. Kneifel M. Maahn K. Van Tricht W. Thiery J. H. Schween A. Mangold S. Crewell N. P. M. Van Lipzig |
author_facet |
I. V. Gorodetskaya S. Kneifel M. Maahn K. Van Tricht W. Thiery J. H. Schween A. Mangold S. Crewell N. P. M. Van Lipzig |
author_sort |
I. V. Gorodetskaya |
title |
Cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in East Antarctica |
title_short |
Cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in East Antarctica |
title_full |
Cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in East Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in East Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in East Antarctica |
title_sort |
cloud and precipitation properties from ground-based remote-sensing instruments in east antarctica |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-285-2015 https://doaj.org/article/d456eec12d4343d0b72aff9e0b9dc9eb |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(23.200,23.200,-71.570,-71.570) |
geographic |
East Antarctica Dronning Maud Land Princess Elisabeth Base |
geographic_facet |
East Antarctica Dronning Maud Land Princess Elisabeth Base |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica DML Dronning Maud Land East Antarctica The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica DML Dronning Maud Land East Antarctica The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 285-304 (2015) |
op_relation |
http://www.the-cryosphere.net/9/285/2015/tc-9-285-2015.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 1994-0416 1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-9-285-2015 https://doaj.org/article/d456eec12d4343d0b72aff9e0b9dc9eb |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-285-2015 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
285 |
op_container_end_page |
304 |
_version_ |
1766260054850273280 |