Comparison between observed and simulated aeolian snow mass fluxes in Adélie Land, East Antarctica

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: Amory, Charles, Trouvillez, A., Gallée, H., Favier, V., Naaim-Bouvet, F., Genthon, C., Agosta, Cécile, Piard, L., Bellot, H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus 2015
• Subjects: Physical; chemical; mathematical & earth Sciences; Earth sciences & physical geography; Physique; chimie; mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Sciences de la terre & géographie physique; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctica; East Antarctica; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/182863; https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/182863/1/tcd-8-6007-2014.pdf; https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1373-2015

peer reviewed The regional climate model MAR including a coupled snow pack/aeolian snow transport parameterisation is compared with aeolian snow mass fluxes at a fine spatial resolution (5 km horizontally and 2 m vertically) and at a fine temporal resolution (30 min) over 1 month in Antarctica. Numerous feedbacks are taken into account in the MAR including the drag partitioning caused by the roughness elements. Wind speed is correctly simulated with a positive value of the Nash test (0.60 and 0.37) but the wind speeds above 10 m s−1 are underestimated. The aeolian snow transport events are correctly reproduced with a good temporal resolution except for the aeolian snow transport events with a particles' maximum height below 1 m. The simulated threshold friction velocity, calculated without snowfall, is overestimated. The simulated aeolian snow mass fluxes between 0 to 2 m have the same variations but are underestimated compared to the second-generation FlowCapt values and so is the simulated relative humidity at 2 m. This underestimation is not entirely due to the underestimation of the simulated wind speed. The MAR underestimates the aeolian snow quantity that pass through the first two meters by a factor ten compared to the second-generation FlowCapt value (13 990 kg m−1 and 151 509 kg m−1 respectively). It will conduct the MAR, with this parametrisation, to underestimate the effect of the aeolian snow transport on the Antarctic surface mass balance.