Mass balance parameterisation for the Hans Tausen Iskappe, Peary Land, North Greenland
A mass balance model based on a positive degree-day approach is used to model the mass balance-elevation relationship for Hans Tausen Iskappe (82.5°N, 37.5°W). Model parameters are estimated by means of field data from a glacier basin in the north-east corner of the ice cap. The mass balance model i...
Published in: | Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience |
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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The Commission for Scientific Research in Greenland /Danish Polar Center
2001
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Online Access: | https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_geosci/article/view/140219 |
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ftsbaarhusojs:oai:ojs.tidsskrift.dk:article/140219 2024-01-28T10:05:55+01:00 Mass balance parameterisation for the Hans Tausen Iskappe, Peary Land, North Greenland Reeh, Niels Olesen, Ole B. Thomsen, Henrik Højmark Starzer, Wolfgang Egede Bøggild, Carl 2001-01-01 application/pdf https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_geosci/article/view/140219 eng eng The Commission for Scientific Research in Greenland /Danish Polar Center https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_geosci/article/view/140219/184212 https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_geosci/article/view/140219 Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience; Vol. 39 (2001): Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience; 57–69 Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience; Årg. 39 (2001): Meddelelser om Grønland, Geoscience; 57–69 1600-4590 0106-1046 10.7146/moggeosci.v39i info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2001 ftsbaarhusojs https://doi.org/10.7146/moggeosci.v39i 2024-01-03T23:59:20Z A mass balance model based on a positive degree-day approach is used to model the mass balance-elevation relationship for Hans Tausen Iskappe (82.5°N, 37.5°W). Model parameters are estimated by means of field data from a glacier basin in the north-east corner of the ice cap. The mass balance model is run for the total Hans Tausen Iskappe by using additional information on the snow fall distribution based on accumulation data from three local ice cores. The model indicates that, in the period 1975-1995, the total balance of Hans Tausen Iskappe was negative (–0.14 m/y of ice equivalent averaged over the icecap, corresponding to –104% of the annual average accumulation in the period). During the same period, the central part of the ice cap was very likely thickening. The sensitivity of the total mass balance to changing summer temperature is –0.17 m ice/y/K. With a 5% increase of snow fall per degree increase of summer temperature, the sensitivity is changed to –0.14 m ice/y/K. Model studies with larger deviations of the summer temperature from the present value indicate that a 5 K warmer temperature would result in ablation over the entire ice cap, which would then melt away completely in a few hundred years. Even a three-fold, simultaneous increase of the accumulation rate would not in general restore the mass balance, but might secure survival of small isolated icecaps in the northern mountainous landscape. The firn warming (the increase of the temperature at 10 m depth above the mean annual air temperature) of the central area of the ice cap is also studied. Extreme changes of climate conditions as those mentioned above, are needed in order to change the thermal regime of the central region of Hans Tausen Iskappe from cold to temperate. This indicates that Hans Tausen Iskappe was a cold glacier during most of its existence. Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier Greenland Hans Tausen iskappe Ice cap North Greenland Peary Land Aarhus University: OJS at The State and University Library Greenland Peary ENVELOPE(-63.867,-63.867,-65.250,-65.250) Peary Land ENVELOPE(-32.500,-32.500,82.633,82.633) Hans Tausen Iskappe ENVELOPE(-37.500,-37.500,82.583,82.583) Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience 39 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: OJS at The State and University Library |
op_collection_id |
ftsbaarhusojs |
language |
English |
description |
A mass balance model based on a positive degree-day approach is used to model the mass balance-elevation relationship for Hans Tausen Iskappe (82.5°N, 37.5°W). Model parameters are estimated by means of field data from a glacier basin in the north-east corner of the ice cap. The mass balance model is run for the total Hans Tausen Iskappe by using additional information on the snow fall distribution based on accumulation data from three local ice cores. The model indicates that, in the period 1975-1995, the total balance of Hans Tausen Iskappe was negative (–0.14 m/y of ice equivalent averaged over the icecap, corresponding to –104% of the annual average accumulation in the period). During the same period, the central part of the ice cap was very likely thickening. The sensitivity of the total mass balance to changing summer temperature is –0.17 m ice/y/K. With a 5% increase of snow fall per degree increase of summer temperature, the sensitivity is changed to –0.14 m ice/y/K. Model studies with larger deviations of the summer temperature from the present value indicate that a 5 K warmer temperature would result in ablation over the entire ice cap, which would then melt away completely in a few hundred years. Even a three-fold, simultaneous increase of the accumulation rate would not in general restore the mass balance, but might secure survival of small isolated icecaps in the northern mountainous landscape. The firn warming (the increase of the temperature at 10 m depth above the mean annual air temperature) of the central area of the ice cap is also studied. Extreme changes of climate conditions as those mentioned above, are needed in order to change the thermal regime of the central region of Hans Tausen Iskappe from cold to temperate. This indicates that Hans Tausen Iskappe was a cold glacier during most of its existence. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Reeh, Niels Olesen, Ole B. Thomsen, Henrik Højmark Starzer, Wolfgang Egede Bøggild, Carl |
spellingShingle |
Reeh, Niels Olesen, Ole B. Thomsen, Henrik Højmark Starzer, Wolfgang Egede Bøggild, Carl Mass balance parameterisation for the Hans Tausen Iskappe, Peary Land, North Greenland |
author_facet |
Reeh, Niels Olesen, Ole B. Thomsen, Henrik Højmark Starzer, Wolfgang Egede Bøggild, Carl |
author_sort |
Reeh, Niels |
title |
Mass balance parameterisation for the Hans Tausen Iskappe, Peary Land, North Greenland |
title_short |
Mass balance parameterisation for the Hans Tausen Iskappe, Peary Land, North Greenland |
title_full |
Mass balance parameterisation for the Hans Tausen Iskappe, Peary Land, North Greenland |
title_fullStr |
Mass balance parameterisation for the Hans Tausen Iskappe, Peary Land, North Greenland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mass balance parameterisation for the Hans Tausen Iskappe, Peary Land, North Greenland |
title_sort |
mass balance parameterisation for the hans tausen iskappe, peary land, north greenland |
publisher |
The Commission for Scientific Research in Greenland /Danish Polar Center |
publishDate |
2001 |
url |
https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_geosci/article/view/140219 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-63.867,-63.867,-65.250,-65.250) ENVELOPE(-32.500,-32.500,82.633,82.633) ENVELOPE(-37.500,-37.500,82.583,82.583) |
geographic |
Greenland Peary Peary Land Hans Tausen Iskappe |
geographic_facet |
Greenland Peary Peary Land Hans Tausen Iskappe |
genre |
glacier Greenland Hans Tausen iskappe Ice cap North Greenland Peary Land |
genre_facet |
glacier Greenland Hans Tausen iskappe Ice cap North Greenland Peary Land |
op_source |
Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience; Vol. 39 (2001): Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience; 57–69 Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience; Årg. 39 (2001): Meddelelser om Grønland, Geoscience; 57–69 1600-4590 0106-1046 10.7146/moggeosci.v39i |
op_relation |
https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_geosci/article/view/140219/184212 https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_geosci/article/view/140219 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7146/moggeosci.v39i |
container_title |
Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience |
container_volume |
39 |
_version_ |
1789332486513229824 |