Greenland Ice Sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and GRACE (2003–2012)
peer reviewed Improving the ability of regional climate models (RCMs) and ice sheet models (ISMs) to simulate spatiotemporal variations in the mass of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is crucial for prediction of future sea level rise. While several studies have examined recent trends in GrIS mass los...
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Language: | English |
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2016
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Online Access: | https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/198709 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/198709/1/tc-10-1259-2016.pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1259-2016 |
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ftorbi:oai:orbi.ulg.ac.be:2268/198709 2024-04-21T08:03:45+00:00 Greenland Ice Sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and GRACE (2003–2012) Alexander, P. Tedesco, M. Schlegel, N-J Luthcke, S. Fettweis, Xavier Larour, E. 2016-06-20 https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/198709 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/198709/1/tc-10-1259-2016.pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1259-2016 en eng Copernicus http://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/1259/2016/ urn:issn:1994-0416 urn:issn:1994-0424 https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/198709 info:hdl:2268/198709 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/198709/1/tc-10-1259-2016.pdf doi:10.5194/tc-10-1259-2016 scopus-id:2-s2.0-84975801899 open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess The Cryosphere, 10, 1259-1277 (2016-06-20) Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique journal article http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 info:eu-repo/semantics/article peer reviewed 2016 ftorbi https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1259-2016 2024-03-27T14:58:15Z peer reviewed Improving the ability of regional climate models (RCMs) and ice sheet models (ISMs) to simulate spatiotemporal variations in the mass of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is crucial for prediction of future sea level rise. While several studies have examined recent trends in GrIS mass loss, studies focusing on mass variations at sub-annual and sub-basin-wide scales are still lacking. At these scales, processes responsible for mass change are less well understood and modeled, and could potentially play an important role in future GrIS mass change. Here, we examine spatiotemporal variations in mass over the GrIS derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites for the January 2003–December 2012 period using a "mascon" approach, with a nominal spatial resolution of 100 km, and a temporal resolution of 10 days. We compare GRACE-estimated mass variations against those simulated by the Modèle Atmosphérique Régionale (MAR) RCM and the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM). In order to properly compare spatial and temporal variations in GrIS mass from GRACE with model outputs, we find it necessary to spatially and temporally filter model results to reproduce leakage of mass inherent in the GRACE solution. Both modeled and satellite-derived results point to a decline (of −178.9 ± 4.4 and −239.4 ± 7.7 Gt yr−1 respectively) in GrIS mass over the period examined, but the models appear to underestimate the rate of mass loss, especially in areas below 2000 m in elevation, where the majority of recent GrIS mass loss is occurring. On an ice-sheet-wide scale, the timing of the modeled seasonal cycle of cumulative mass (driven by summer mass loss) agrees with the GRACE-derived seasonal cycle, within limits of uncertainty from the GRACE solution. However, on sub-ice-sheet-wide scales, some areas exhibit significant differences in the timing of peaks in the annual cycle of mass change. At these scales, model biases, or processes not accounted for by models related to ice dynamics or hydrology, may ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere University of Liège: ORBi (Open Repository and Bibliography) The Cryosphere 10 3 1259 1277 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Liège: ORBi (Open Repository and Bibliography) |
op_collection_id |
ftorbi |
language |
English |
topic |
Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique |
spellingShingle |
Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique Alexander, P. Tedesco, M. Schlegel, N-J Luthcke, S. Fettweis, Xavier Larour, E. Greenland Ice Sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and GRACE (2003–2012) |
topic_facet |
Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique |
description |
peer reviewed Improving the ability of regional climate models (RCMs) and ice sheet models (ISMs) to simulate spatiotemporal variations in the mass of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is crucial for prediction of future sea level rise. While several studies have examined recent trends in GrIS mass loss, studies focusing on mass variations at sub-annual and sub-basin-wide scales are still lacking. At these scales, processes responsible for mass change are less well understood and modeled, and could potentially play an important role in future GrIS mass change. Here, we examine spatiotemporal variations in mass over the GrIS derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites for the January 2003–December 2012 period using a "mascon" approach, with a nominal spatial resolution of 100 km, and a temporal resolution of 10 days. We compare GRACE-estimated mass variations against those simulated by the Modèle Atmosphérique Régionale (MAR) RCM and the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM). In order to properly compare spatial and temporal variations in GrIS mass from GRACE with model outputs, we find it necessary to spatially and temporally filter model results to reproduce leakage of mass inherent in the GRACE solution. Both modeled and satellite-derived results point to a decline (of −178.9 ± 4.4 and −239.4 ± 7.7 Gt yr−1 respectively) in GrIS mass over the period examined, but the models appear to underestimate the rate of mass loss, especially in areas below 2000 m in elevation, where the majority of recent GrIS mass loss is occurring. On an ice-sheet-wide scale, the timing of the modeled seasonal cycle of cumulative mass (driven by summer mass loss) agrees with the GRACE-derived seasonal cycle, within limits of uncertainty from the GRACE solution. However, on sub-ice-sheet-wide scales, some areas exhibit significant differences in the timing of peaks in the annual cycle of mass change. At these scales, model biases, or processes not accounted for by models related to ice dynamics or hydrology, may ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Alexander, P. Tedesco, M. Schlegel, N-J Luthcke, S. Fettweis, Xavier Larour, E. |
author_facet |
Alexander, P. Tedesco, M. Schlegel, N-J Luthcke, S. Fettweis, Xavier Larour, E. |
author_sort |
Alexander, P. |
title |
Greenland Ice Sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and GRACE (2003–2012) |
title_short |
Greenland Ice Sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and GRACE (2003–2012) |
title_full |
Greenland Ice Sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and GRACE (2003–2012) |
title_fullStr |
Greenland Ice Sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and GRACE (2003–2012) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Greenland Ice Sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and GRACE (2003–2012) |
title_sort |
greenland ice sheet seasonal and spatial mass variability from model simulations and grace (2003–2012) |
publisher |
Copernicus |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/198709 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/198709/1/tc-10-1259-2016.pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1259-2016 |
genre |
Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Greenland Ice Sheet The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, 10, 1259-1277 (2016-06-20) |
op_relation |
http://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/1259/2016/ urn:issn:1994-0416 urn:issn:1994-0424 https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/198709 info:hdl:2268/198709 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/198709/1/tc-10-1259-2016.pdf doi:10.5194/tc-10-1259-2016 scopus-id:2-s2.0-84975801899 |
op_rights |
open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1259-2016 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
1259 |
op_container_end_page |
1277 |
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1796943474687213568 |