A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations
Towards accounting for the dynamic response of glaciers and ice caps in the estimation of their contribution to sea-level rise due to global warming, a mass-balance degree-day model is coupled to a geometric glacier model. The ice dynamics are treated implicitly in the geometric model by using scali...
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Online Access: | https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/79d5c389-f82b-490b-945f-a1c0bf5d0751 https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833034 |
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ftumanchesterpub:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/79d5c389-f82b-490b-945f-a1c0bf5d0751 2023-11-12T04:19:54+01:00 A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations Raper, S Brown, O Braithwaite, Roger 2000 https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/79d5c389-f82b-490b-945f-a1c0bf5d0751 https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833034 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Raper , S , Brown , O & Braithwaite , R 2000 , ' A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations ' , Journal of Glaciology , vol. 46 , no. 154 , pp. 357-368 . https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833034 article 2000 ftumanchesterpub https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833034 2023-10-30T09:19:24Z Towards accounting for the dynamic response of glaciers and ice caps in the estimation of their contribution to sea-level rise due to global warming, a mass-balance degree-day model is coupled to a geometric glacier model. The ice dynamics are treated implicitly in the geometric model by using scaling parameters that have been extensively investigated in the literature. The model is tested by presenting a case-study of the glacier Hintereisferner, Austrian Alps. The results are compatible with geomorphological data and other modelling studies. An estimate is made of the volume decrease due to initial disequilibrium. An extensive sensitivity study using generalized glacier shapes and sizes allows a comparison of results with dynamic theory. According to the geometric model, glaciers with a narrowing channel change more with a change in mass balance than glaciers with a widening channel, due to their shape and the way in which that shape changes with a changing climate. Also their response time is longer. As time progresses after a mass-balance perturbation, the longer response time for continental glaciers compared to glaciers with larger mass turnover offsets the effect of their smaller static sensitivity. Thus, although for the next century we may expect greater changes in volume from alpine glaciers, the equilibrium or committed change is greater for the continental glaciers. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology The University of Manchester: Research Explorer Journal of Glaciology 46 154 357 368 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Manchester: Research Explorer |
op_collection_id |
ftumanchesterpub |
language |
English |
description |
Towards accounting for the dynamic response of glaciers and ice caps in the estimation of their contribution to sea-level rise due to global warming, a mass-balance degree-day model is coupled to a geometric glacier model. The ice dynamics are treated implicitly in the geometric model by using scaling parameters that have been extensively investigated in the literature. The model is tested by presenting a case-study of the glacier Hintereisferner, Austrian Alps. The results are compatible with geomorphological data and other modelling studies. An estimate is made of the volume decrease due to initial disequilibrium. An extensive sensitivity study using generalized glacier shapes and sizes allows a comparison of results with dynamic theory. According to the geometric model, glaciers with a narrowing channel change more with a change in mass balance than glaciers with a widening channel, due to their shape and the way in which that shape changes with a changing climate. Also their response time is longer. As time progresses after a mass-balance perturbation, the longer response time for continental glaciers compared to glaciers with larger mass turnover offsets the effect of their smaller static sensitivity. Thus, although for the next century we may expect greater changes in volume from alpine glaciers, the equilibrium or committed change is greater for the continental glaciers. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Raper, S Brown, O Braithwaite, Roger |
spellingShingle |
Raper, S Brown, O Braithwaite, Roger A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations |
author_facet |
Raper, S Brown, O Braithwaite, Roger |
author_sort |
Raper, S |
title |
A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations |
title_short |
A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations |
title_full |
A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations |
title_fullStr |
A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations |
title_full_unstemmed |
A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations |
title_sort |
geometric glacier model suitable for sea level change calculations |
publishDate |
2000 |
url |
https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/79d5c389-f82b-490b-945f-a1c0bf5d0751 https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833034 |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Raper , S , Brown , O & Braithwaite , R 2000 , ' A Geometric Glacier Model Suitable for Sea Level Change Calculations ' , Journal of Glaciology , vol. 46 , no. 154 , pp. 357-368 . https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833034 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833034 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
46 |
container_issue |
154 |
container_start_page |
357 |
op_container_end_page |
368 |
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1782336141930790912 |