A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole
Converting measurements of ice-sheet surface elevation change to mass change requires measurements of accumulation and knowledge of the evolution of the density profile in the firn. Most firn-densification models are tuned using measured depth–density profiles, a method which is based on an assumpti...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d725d94676d44dd99dde3e01e5f8dbf4 2023-12-10T09:40:46+01:00 A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole C. Max Stevens David A. Lilien Howard Conway T. J. Fudge Michelle R. Koutnik Edwin D. Waddington https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.87 https://doaj.org/article/d725d94676d44dd99dde3e01e5f8dbf4 EN eng Cambridge University Press https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000874/type/journal_article https://doaj.org/toc/0022-1430 https://doaj.org/toc/1727-5652 doi:10.1017/jog.2023.87 0022-1430 1727-5652 https://doaj.org/article/d725d94676d44dd99dde3e01e5f8dbf4 Journal of Glaciology, Pp 1-15 Antarctic glaciology glaciological instruments and methods polar firn snow/ice surface processes snow rheology Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 article ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.87 2023-11-12T01:40:03Z Converting measurements of ice-sheet surface elevation change to mass change requires measurements of accumulation and knowledge of the evolution of the density profile in the firn. Most firn-densification models are tuned using measured depth–density profiles, a method which is based on an assumption that the density profile in the firn is invariant through time. Here we present continuous measurements of firn-compaction rates in 12 boreholes near the South Pole over a 2 year period. To our knowledge, these are the first continuous measurements of firn compaction on the Antarctic plateau. We use the data to derive a new firn-densification algorithm framed as a constitutive relationship. We also compare our measurements to compaction rates predicted by several existing firn-densification models. Results indicate that an activation energy of 60 kJ mol−1, a value within the range used by current models, best predicts the seasonal cycle in compaction rates on the Antarctic plateau. Our results suggest models can predict firn-compaction rates with at best 7% uncertainty and cumulative firn compaction on a 2 year timescale with at best 8% uncertainty. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology South pole South pole Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic South Pole The Antarctic Journal of Glaciology 1 15 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctic glaciology glaciological instruments and methods polar firn snow/ice surface processes snow rheology Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
spellingShingle |
Antarctic glaciology glaciological instruments and methods polar firn snow/ice surface processes snow rheology Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 C. Max Stevens David A. Lilien Howard Conway T. J. Fudge Michelle R. Koutnik Edwin D. Waddington A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole |
topic_facet |
Antarctic glaciology glaciological instruments and methods polar firn snow/ice surface processes snow rheology Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
description |
Converting measurements of ice-sheet surface elevation change to mass change requires measurements of accumulation and knowledge of the evolution of the density profile in the firn. Most firn-densification models are tuned using measured depth–density profiles, a method which is based on an assumption that the density profile in the firn is invariant through time. Here we present continuous measurements of firn-compaction rates in 12 boreholes near the South Pole over a 2 year period. To our knowledge, these are the first continuous measurements of firn compaction on the Antarctic plateau. We use the data to derive a new firn-densification algorithm framed as a constitutive relationship. We also compare our measurements to compaction rates predicted by several existing firn-densification models. Results indicate that an activation energy of 60 kJ mol−1, a value within the range used by current models, best predicts the seasonal cycle in compaction rates on the Antarctic plateau. Our results suggest models can predict firn-compaction rates with at best 7% uncertainty and cumulative firn compaction on a 2 year timescale with at best 8% uncertainty. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
C. Max Stevens David A. Lilien Howard Conway T. J. Fudge Michelle R. Koutnik Edwin D. Waddington |
author_facet |
C. Max Stevens David A. Lilien Howard Conway T. J. Fudge Michelle R. Koutnik Edwin D. Waddington |
author_sort |
C. Max Stevens |
title |
A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole |
title_short |
A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole |
title_full |
A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole |
title_fullStr |
A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole |
title_full_unstemmed |
A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole |
title_sort |
new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near south pole |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.87 https://doaj.org/article/d725d94676d44dd99dde3e01e5f8dbf4 |
geographic |
Antarctic South Pole The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic South Pole The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology South pole South pole |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology South pole South pole |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology, Pp 1-15 |
op_relation |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000874/type/journal_article https://doaj.org/toc/0022-1430 https://doaj.org/toc/1727-5652 doi:10.1017/jog.2023.87 0022-1430 1727-5652 https://doaj.org/article/d725d94676d44dd99dde3e01e5f8dbf4 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.87 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_start_page |
1 |
op_container_end_page |
15 |
_version_ |
1784896048689315840 |