Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014
Estimating the long-term mass balance of the high-Arctic Svalbard archipelago is difficult due to the incomplete geodetic and direct glaciological measurements, both in space and time. To close these gaps, we use a coupled surface energy balance and snow pack model to analyse the mass changes of all...
Published in: | The Cryosphere |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
National Snow and Ice Data Center
2017
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10852/62150 http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-64743 https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-191-2017 |
id |
ftoslouniv:oai:www.duo.uio.no:10852/62150 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftoslouniv:oai:www.duo.uio.no:10852/62150 2023-05-15T13:11:56+02:00 Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014 Østby, Torbjørn Ims Schuler, Thomas Hagen, Jon Ove Methlie Hock, Regine Kohler, Jack Reijmer, Carleen 2017-06-14T10:46:18Z http://hdl.handle.net/10852/62150 http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-64743 https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-191-2017 EN eng National Snow and Ice Data Center http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-64743 Østby, Torbjørn Ims Schuler, Thomas Hagen, Jon Ove Methlie Hock, Regine Kohler, Jack Reijmer, Carleen . Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014. The Cryosphere. 2017, 11, 191-215 http://hdl.handle.net/10852/62150 1475956 info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.jtitle=The Cryosphere&rft.volume=11&rft.spage=191&rft.date=2017 The Cryosphere 11 191 215 http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-191-2017 URN:NBN:no-64743 Fulltext https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/62150/2/tc-11-191-2017.pdf Attribution 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ CC-BY 1994-0416 Journal article Tidsskriftartikkel Peer reviewed PublishedVersion 2017 ftoslouniv https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-191-2017 2020-06-21T08:51:40Z Estimating the long-term mass balance of the high-Arctic Svalbard archipelago is difficult due to the incomplete geodetic and direct glaciological measurements, both in space and time. To close these gaps, we use a coupled surface energy balance and snow pack model to analyse the mass changes of all Svalbard glaciers for the period 1957–2014. The model is forced by ERA-40 and ERA-Interim reanalysis data, downscaled to 1 km resolution. The model is validated using snow/firn temperature and density measurements, mass balance from stakes and ice cores, meteorological measurements, snow depths from radar profiles and remotely sensed surface albedo and skin temperatures. Overall model performance is good, but it varies regionally. Over the entire period the model yields a climatic mass balance of 8.2 cm w. e. yr−1, which corresponds to a mass input of 175 Gt. Climatic mass balance has a linear trend of −1.4 ± 0.4 cm w. e. yr−2 with a shift from a positive to a negative regime around 1980. Modelled mass balance exhibits large interannual variability, which is controlled by summer temperatures and further amplified by the albedo feedback. For the recent period 2004–2013 climatic mass balance was −21 cm w. e. yr−1, and accounting for frontal ablation estimated by Błaszczyk et al.(2009) yields a total Svalbard mass balance of −39 cm w. e. yr−1 for this 10-year period. In terms of eustatic sea level, this corresponds to a rise of 0.037 mm yr−1. Refreezing of water in snow and firn is substantial at 22 cm w. e. yr−1 or 26 % of total annual accumulation. However, as warming leads to reduced firn area over the period, refreezing decreases both absolutely and relative to the total accumulation. Negative mass balance and elevated equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) resulted in massive reduction of the thick (> 2 m) firn extent and an increase in the superimposed ice, thin (< 2 m) firn and bare ice extents. Atmospheric warming also leads to a marked change in the thermal regime, with cooling of the glacier mid-elevation and warming in the ablation zone and upper firn areas. On the long-term, by removing the thermal barrier, this warming has implications for the vertical transfer of surface meltwater through the glacier and down to the base, influencing basal hydrology, sliding and thereby overall glacier motion. Article in Journal/Newspaper albedo Arctic glacier Svalbard The Cryosphere Universitet i Oslo: Digitale utgivelser ved UiO (DUO) Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago The Cryosphere 11 1 191 215 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Universitet i Oslo: Digitale utgivelser ved UiO (DUO) |
op_collection_id |
ftoslouniv |
language |
English |
description |
Estimating the long-term mass balance of the high-Arctic Svalbard archipelago is difficult due to the incomplete geodetic and direct glaciological measurements, both in space and time. To close these gaps, we use a coupled surface energy balance and snow pack model to analyse the mass changes of all Svalbard glaciers for the period 1957–2014. The model is forced by ERA-40 and ERA-Interim reanalysis data, downscaled to 1 km resolution. The model is validated using snow/firn temperature and density measurements, mass balance from stakes and ice cores, meteorological measurements, snow depths from radar profiles and remotely sensed surface albedo and skin temperatures. Overall model performance is good, but it varies regionally. Over the entire period the model yields a climatic mass balance of 8.2 cm w. e. yr−1, which corresponds to a mass input of 175 Gt. Climatic mass balance has a linear trend of −1.4 ± 0.4 cm w. e. yr−2 with a shift from a positive to a negative regime around 1980. Modelled mass balance exhibits large interannual variability, which is controlled by summer temperatures and further amplified by the albedo feedback. For the recent period 2004–2013 climatic mass balance was −21 cm w. e. yr−1, and accounting for frontal ablation estimated by Błaszczyk et al.(2009) yields a total Svalbard mass balance of −39 cm w. e. yr−1 for this 10-year period. In terms of eustatic sea level, this corresponds to a rise of 0.037 mm yr−1. Refreezing of water in snow and firn is substantial at 22 cm w. e. yr−1 or 26 % of total annual accumulation. However, as warming leads to reduced firn area over the period, refreezing decreases both absolutely and relative to the total accumulation. Negative mass balance and elevated equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) resulted in massive reduction of the thick (> 2 m) firn extent and an increase in the superimposed ice, thin (< 2 m) firn and bare ice extents. Atmospheric warming also leads to a marked change in the thermal regime, with cooling of the glacier mid-elevation and warming in the ablation zone and upper firn areas. On the long-term, by removing the thermal barrier, this warming has implications for the vertical transfer of surface meltwater through the glacier and down to the base, influencing basal hydrology, sliding and thereby overall glacier motion. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Østby, Torbjørn Ims Schuler, Thomas Hagen, Jon Ove Methlie Hock, Regine Kohler, Jack Reijmer, Carleen |
spellingShingle |
Østby, Torbjørn Ims Schuler, Thomas Hagen, Jon Ove Methlie Hock, Regine Kohler, Jack Reijmer, Carleen Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014 |
author_facet |
Østby, Torbjørn Ims Schuler, Thomas Hagen, Jon Ove Methlie Hock, Regine Kohler, Jack Reijmer, Carleen |
author_sort |
Østby, Torbjørn Ims |
title |
Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014 |
title_short |
Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014 |
title_full |
Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014 |
title_fullStr |
Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014 |
title_sort |
diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in svalbard over 1957-2014 |
publisher |
National Snow and Ice Data Center |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10852/62150 http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-64743 https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-191-2017 |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago |
genre |
albedo Arctic glacier Svalbard The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
albedo Arctic glacier Svalbard The Cryosphere |
op_source |
1994-0416 |
op_relation |
http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-64743 Østby, Torbjørn Ims Schuler, Thomas Hagen, Jon Ove Methlie Hock, Regine Kohler, Jack Reijmer, Carleen . Diagnosing the decline in climatic mass balance of glaciers in Svalbard over 1957-2014. The Cryosphere. 2017, 11, 191-215 http://hdl.handle.net/10852/62150 1475956 info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.jtitle=The Cryosphere&rft.volume=11&rft.spage=191&rft.date=2017 The Cryosphere 11 191 215 http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-191-2017 URN:NBN:no-64743 Fulltext https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/62150/2/tc-11-191-2017.pdf |
op_rights |
Attribution 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-191-2017 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
191 |
op_container_end_page |
215 |
_version_ |
1766249628951379968 |