On the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow
The warming-induced expansion of shrubs in the Arctic is transforming snowpacks into a mixture of snow, impurities and buried branches. Because snow is a translucent medium into which light penetrates up to tens of centimetres, buried branches may alter the snowpack radiation budget with important c...
Published in: | Biogeosciences |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021 https://doaj.org/article/d5d971d721214a94a7850403eb4067a6 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d5d971d721214a94a7850403eb4067a6 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d5d971d721214a94a7850403eb4067a6 2023-05-15T14:54:52+02:00 On the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow M. Belke-Brea F. Domine G. Picard M. Barrere L. Arnaud 2021-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021 https://doaj.org/article/d5d971d721214a94a7850403eb4067a6 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/18/5851/2021/bg-18-5851-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021 1726-4170 1726-4189 https://doaj.org/article/d5d971d721214a94a7850403eb4067a6 Biogeosciences, Vol 18, Pp 5851-5869 (2021) Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021 2022-12-31T07:55:38Z The warming-induced expansion of shrubs in the Arctic is transforming snowpacks into a mixture of snow, impurities and buried branches. Because snow is a translucent medium into which light penetrates up to tens of centimetres, buried branches may alter the snowpack radiation budget with important consequences for the snow thermal regime and microstructure. To characterize the influence of buried branches on radiative transfer in snow, irradiance profiles were measured in snowpacks with and without shrubs near Umiujaq in the Canadian Low Arctic (56.5 ∘ N, 76.5 ∘ W) in November and December 2015. Using the irradiance profiles measured in shrub-free snowpacks in combination with a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model revealed that the dominant impurity type was black carbon (BC) in variable concentrations up to 185 ng g −1 . This allowed the separation of the radiative effects of impurities and buried branches. Irradiance profiles measured in snowpacks with shrubs showed that the impact of buried branches was local (i.e. a few centimetres around branches) and only observable in layers where branches were also visible in snowpit photographs. The local-effect hypothesis was further supported by observations of localized melting and depth hoar pockets that formed in the vicinity of branches. Buried branches therefore affect snowpack properties, with possible impacts on Arctic flora and fauna and on the thermal regime of permafrost. Lastly, the unexpectedly high BC concentrations in snow are likely caused by nearby open-air waste burning, suggesting that cleaner waste management plans are required for northern community and ecosystem protection. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic black carbon permafrost Umiujaq Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Umiujaq ENVELOPE(-76.549,-76.549,56.553,56.553) Biogeosciences 18 21 5851 5869 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 M. Belke-Brea F. Domine G. Picard M. Barrere L. Arnaud On the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow |
topic_facet |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The warming-induced expansion of shrubs in the Arctic is transforming snowpacks into a mixture of snow, impurities and buried branches. Because snow is a translucent medium into which light penetrates up to tens of centimetres, buried branches may alter the snowpack radiation budget with important consequences for the snow thermal regime and microstructure. To characterize the influence of buried branches on radiative transfer in snow, irradiance profiles were measured in snowpacks with and without shrubs near Umiujaq in the Canadian Low Arctic (56.5 ∘ N, 76.5 ∘ W) in November and December 2015. Using the irradiance profiles measured in shrub-free snowpacks in combination with a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model revealed that the dominant impurity type was black carbon (BC) in variable concentrations up to 185 ng g −1 . This allowed the separation of the radiative effects of impurities and buried branches. Irradiance profiles measured in snowpacks with shrubs showed that the impact of buried branches was local (i.e. a few centimetres around branches) and only observable in layers where branches were also visible in snowpit photographs. The local-effect hypothesis was further supported by observations of localized melting and depth hoar pockets that formed in the vicinity of branches. Buried branches therefore affect snowpack properties, with possible impacts on Arctic flora and fauna and on the thermal regime of permafrost. Lastly, the unexpectedly high BC concentrations in snow are likely caused by nearby open-air waste burning, suggesting that cleaner waste management plans are required for northern community and ecosystem protection. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
M. Belke-Brea F. Domine G. Picard M. Barrere L. Arnaud |
author_facet |
M. Belke-Brea F. Domine G. Picard M. Barrere L. Arnaud |
author_sort |
M. Belke-Brea |
title |
On the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow |
title_short |
On the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow |
title_full |
On the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow |
title_fullStr |
On the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow |
title_full_unstemmed |
On the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow |
title_sort |
on the influence of erect shrubs on the irradiance profile in snow |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021 https://doaj.org/article/d5d971d721214a94a7850403eb4067a6 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-76.549,-76.549,56.553,56.553) |
geographic |
Arctic Umiujaq |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Umiujaq |
genre |
Arctic black carbon permafrost Umiujaq |
genre_facet |
Arctic black carbon permafrost Umiujaq |
op_source |
Biogeosciences, Vol 18, Pp 5851-5869 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/18/5851/2021/bg-18-5851-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021 1726-4170 1726-4189 https://doaj.org/article/d5d971d721214a94a7850403eb4067a6 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021 |
container_title |
Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
21 |
container_start_page |
5851 |
op_container_end_page |
5869 |
_version_ |
1766326611668369408 |