Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach
Our changing climate is expected to affect ice core records as cold firn progressively transitions to a temperate state. Thus, there is a need to improve our understanding and to further develop quantitative process modeling, to better predict cold firn evolution under a range of climate scenarios....
Published in: | The Cryosphere |
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Copernicus Publications
2021
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3181/2021/tc-15-3181-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/7fae619ebc2d4b26902e8186f977408b |
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fttriple:oai:gotriple.eu:oai:doaj.org/article:7fae619ebc2d4b26902e8186f977408b 2023-05-15T16:39:25+02:00 Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach E. Mattea H. Machguth M. Kronenberg W. van Pelt M. Bassi M. Hoelzle 2021-07-01 https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3181/2021/tc-15-3181-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/7fae619ebc2d4b26902e8186f977408b en eng Copernicus Publications doi:10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3181/2021/tc-15-3181-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/7fae619ebc2d4b26902e8186f977408b undefined The Cryosphere, Vol 15, Pp 3181-3205 (2021) geo envir Journal Article https://vocabularies.coar-repositories.org/resource_types/c_6501/ 2021 fttriple https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021 2023-01-22T19:27:09Z Our changing climate is expected to affect ice core records as cold firn progressively transitions to a temperate state. Thus, there is a need to improve our understanding and to further develop quantitative process modeling, to better predict cold firn evolution under a range of climate scenarios. Here we present the application of a distributed, fully coupled energy balance model, to simulate cold firn at the high-alpine glaciated saddle of Colle Gnifetti (Swiss–Italian Alps) over the period 2003–2018. We force the model with high-resolution, long-term, and extensively quality-checked meteorological data measured in the closest vicinity of the firn site, at the highest automatic weather station in Europe (Capanna Margherita, 4560 m a.s.l.). The model incorporates the spatial variability of snow accumulation rates and is calibrated using several partly unpublished high-altitude measurements from the Monte Rosa area. The simulation reveals a very good overall agreement in the comparison with a large archive of firn temperature profiles. Our results show that surface melt over the glaciated saddle is increasing by 3–4 mm w.e. yr−2 depending on the location (29 %–36 % in 16 years), although with large inter-annual variability. Analysis of modeled melt indicates the frequent occurrence of small melt events (<4 mm w.e.), which collectively represent a significant fraction of the melt totals. Modeled firn warming rates at 20 m depth are relatively uniform above 4450 m a.s.l. (0.4–0.5 ∘C per decade). They become highly variable at lower elevations, with a marked dependence on surface aspect and absolute values up to 2.5 times the local rate of atmospheric warming. Our distributed simulation contributes to the understanding of the thermal regime and evolution of a prominent site for alpine ice cores and may support the planning of future core drilling efforts. Moreover, thanks to an extensive archive of measurements available for comparison, we also highlight the possibilities of model improvement most relevant to ... Article in Journal/Newspaper ice core The Cryosphere Unknown Monte Rosa ENVELOPE(162.850,162.850,-70.917,-70.917) The Cryosphere 15 7 3181 3205 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Unknown |
op_collection_id |
fttriple |
language |
English |
topic |
geo envir |
spellingShingle |
geo envir E. Mattea H. Machguth M. Kronenberg W. van Pelt M. Bassi M. Hoelzle Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach |
topic_facet |
geo envir |
description |
Our changing climate is expected to affect ice core records as cold firn progressively transitions to a temperate state. Thus, there is a need to improve our understanding and to further develop quantitative process modeling, to better predict cold firn evolution under a range of climate scenarios. Here we present the application of a distributed, fully coupled energy balance model, to simulate cold firn at the high-alpine glaciated saddle of Colle Gnifetti (Swiss–Italian Alps) over the period 2003–2018. We force the model with high-resolution, long-term, and extensively quality-checked meteorological data measured in the closest vicinity of the firn site, at the highest automatic weather station in Europe (Capanna Margherita, 4560 m a.s.l.). The model incorporates the spatial variability of snow accumulation rates and is calibrated using several partly unpublished high-altitude measurements from the Monte Rosa area. The simulation reveals a very good overall agreement in the comparison with a large archive of firn temperature profiles. Our results show that surface melt over the glaciated saddle is increasing by 3–4 mm w.e. yr−2 depending on the location (29 %–36 % in 16 years), although with large inter-annual variability. Analysis of modeled melt indicates the frequent occurrence of small melt events (<4 mm w.e.), which collectively represent a significant fraction of the melt totals. Modeled firn warming rates at 20 m depth are relatively uniform above 4450 m a.s.l. (0.4–0.5 ∘C per decade). They become highly variable at lower elevations, with a marked dependence on surface aspect and absolute values up to 2.5 times the local rate of atmospheric warming. Our distributed simulation contributes to the understanding of the thermal regime and evolution of a prominent site for alpine ice cores and may support the planning of future core drilling efforts. Moreover, thanks to an extensive archive of measurements available for comparison, we also highlight the possibilities of model improvement most relevant to ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
E. Mattea H. Machguth M. Kronenberg W. van Pelt M. Bassi M. Hoelzle |
author_facet |
E. Mattea H. Machguth M. Kronenberg W. van Pelt M. Bassi M. Hoelzle |
author_sort |
E. Mattea |
title |
Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach |
title_short |
Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach |
title_full |
Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach |
title_fullStr |
Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach |
title_full_unstemmed |
Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach |
title_sort |
firn changes at colle gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3181/2021/tc-15-3181-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/7fae619ebc2d4b26902e8186f977408b |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(162.850,162.850,-70.917,-70.917) |
geographic |
Monte Rosa |
geographic_facet |
Monte Rosa |
genre |
ice core The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
ice core The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 15, Pp 3181-3205 (2021) |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/3181/2021/tc-15-3181-2021.pdf https://doaj.org/article/7fae619ebc2d4b26902e8186f977408b |
op_rights |
undefined |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
3181 |
op_container_end_page |
3205 |
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1766029753484050432 |