Modeling the snow cover in climate studies - 2. The sensitivity to internal snow parameters and interface processes

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
• Main Authors: Loth , B., Graf, H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1998
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000C-3BCD-C; http://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000C-3BCF-A

In order to find an optimal complexity for snow-cover models in climate studies, the influence of single snow processes on both the snow mass balance and the energy fluxes between snow surface and atmosphere has been investigated. Using a sophisticated model, experiments were performed under several different atmospheric and regional conditions (Arctic, midlatitudes, alpine regions). A high simulation quality can be achieved with a multi layered snow-cover model resolving the internal snow processes (cf. part 1,[Loth and Graf, this issue]). Otherwise, large errors can occur, mostly in zones which are of paramount importance for the entire climate dynamics. Owing to simplifications of such a model, the mean energy balance of the snow cover, the turbulent heat fluxes, and the long-wave radiation at the snow surface may alter by between 1 W/m(2) and 8 W/m(2). The snow-surface temperatures can be systematically changed by about 10 K.