Snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework
Snow hydrological regimes in mountainous catchments are strongly influenced by snowpack heterogeneity resulting from wind- and gravity-induced redistribution processes, requiring them to be modelled at hectometre and finer resolutions. This study presents a novel modelling approach to address this i...
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2024
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:daa0a82a241e4c1fb40cce84d7c925f8 2024-09-15T18:38:59+00:00 Snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework L. Quéno R. Mott P. Morin B. Cluzet G. Mazzotti T. Jonas 2024-08-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3533-2024 https://doaj.org/article/daa0a82a241e4c1fb40cce84d7c925f8 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/18/3533/2024/tc-18-3533-2024.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-18-3533-2024 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/daa0a82a241e4c1fb40cce84d7c925f8 The Cryosphere, Vol 18, Pp 3533-3557 (2024) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2024 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3533-2024 2024-08-12T15:24:03Z Snow hydrological regimes in mountainous catchments are strongly influenced by snowpack heterogeneity resulting from wind- and gravity-induced redistribution processes, requiring them to be modelled at hectometre and finer resolutions. This study presents a novel modelling approach to address this issue, aiming at an intermediate-complexity solution to best represent these processes while maintaining operationally viable computational times. To this end, the physics-based snowpack model FSM2oshd was complemented by integrating the modules SnowTran-3D and SnowSlide to represent wind- and gravity-driven redistribution, respectively. This new modelling framework was further enhanced by implementing a density-dependent layering to account for erodible snow without the need to resolve microstructural properties. Seasonal simulations were performed over a 1180 km 2 mountain range in the Swiss Alps at 25, 50 and 100 m resolution, using appropriate downscaling and snow data assimilation techniques to provide accurate meteorological forcing. In particular, wind fields were dynamically downscaled using WindNinja to better reflect topographically induced flow patterns. The model results were assessed using snow depths from airborne lidar measurements. We found a remarkable improvement in the representation of snow accumulation and erosion areas, with major contributions from saltation and suspension as well as avalanches and with modest contributions from snowdrift sublimation. The aggregated snow depth distribution curve, key to snowmelt dynamics, significantly and consistently matched the measured distribution better than reference simulations from the peak of winter to the end of the melt season, with improvements at all spatial resolutions. This outcome is promising for a better representation of snow hydrological processes within an operational framework. Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 18 8 3533 3557 |
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 L. Quéno R. Mott P. Morin B. Cluzet G. Mazzotti T. Jonas Snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Snow hydrological regimes in mountainous catchments are strongly influenced by snowpack heterogeneity resulting from wind- and gravity-induced redistribution processes, requiring them to be modelled at hectometre and finer resolutions. This study presents a novel modelling approach to address this issue, aiming at an intermediate-complexity solution to best represent these processes while maintaining operationally viable computational times. To this end, the physics-based snowpack model FSM2oshd was complemented by integrating the modules SnowTran-3D and SnowSlide to represent wind- and gravity-driven redistribution, respectively. This new modelling framework was further enhanced by implementing a density-dependent layering to account for erodible snow without the need to resolve microstructural properties. Seasonal simulations were performed over a 1180 km 2 mountain range in the Swiss Alps at 25, 50 and 100 m resolution, using appropriate downscaling and snow data assimilation techniques to provide accurate meteorological forcing. In particular, wind fields were dynamically downscaled using WindNinja to better reflect topographically induced flow patterns. The model results were assessed using snow depths from airborne lidar measurements. We found a remarkable improvement in the representation of snow accumulation and erosion areas, with major contributions from saltation and suspension as well as avalanches and with modest contributions from snowdrift sublimation. The aggregated snow depth distribution curve, key to snowmelt dynamics, significantly and consistently matched the measured distribution better than reference simulations from the peak of winter to the end of the melt season, with improvements at all spatial resolutions. This outcome is promising for a better representation of snow hydrological processes within an operational framework. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
L. Quéno R. Mott P. Morin B. Cluzet G. Mazzotti T. Jonas |
author_facet |
L. Quéno R. Mott P. Morin B. Cluzet G. Mazzotti T. Jonas |
author_sort |
L. Quéno |
title |
Snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework |
title_short |
Snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework |
title_full |
Snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework |
title_fullStr |
Snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework |
title_full_unstemmed |
Snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework |
title_sort |
snow redistribution in an intermediate-complexity snow hydrology modelling framework |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3533-2024 https://doaj.org/article/daa0a82a241e4c1fb40cce84d7c925f8 |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 18, Pp 3533-3557 (2024) |
op_relation |
https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/18/3533/2024/tc-18-3533-2024.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-18-3533-2024 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/daa0a82a241e4c1fb40cce84d7c925f8 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3533-2024 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
8 |
container_start_page |
3533 |
op_container_end_page |
3557 |
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1810483377372921856 |