Towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the Greenland Ice Sheet
It is notoriously difficult to couple surface mass balance (SMB) results from climate models to the changing geometry of an ice sheet model. This problem is traditionally avoided by using only accumulation from a climate model, and parameterizing the meltwater run-off as a function of temperature, w...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Other Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2012
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242366 |
id |
ftunivutrecht:oai:dspace.library.uu.nl:1874/242366 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivutrecht:oai:dspace.library.uu.nl:1874/242366 2023-07-23T04:19:32+02:00 Towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the Greenland Ice Sheet Helsen, M.M. van de Wal, R.S.W. van den Broeke, M.R. van de Berg, W.J. Oerlemans, J. Marine and Atmospheric Research Sub Dynamics Meteorology Dep Natuurkunde 2012 application/pdf https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242366 en eng 1994-0416 https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242366 info:eu-repo/semantics/EmbargoedAccess Article 2012 ftunivutrecht 2023-07-02T00:16:39Z It is notoriously difficult to couple surface mass balance (SMB) results from climate models to the changing geometry of an ice sheet model. This problem is traditionally avoided by using only accumulation from a climate model, and parameterizing the meltwater run-off as a function of temperature, which is often related to surface elevation (Hs). In this study, we propose a new strategy to calculate SMB, to allow a direct adjustment of SMB to a change in ice sheet topography and/or a change in climate forcing. This method is based on elevational gradients in the SMB field as computed by a regional climate model. Separate linear relations are derived for ablation and accumulation, using pairs of Hs and SMB within a minimum search radius. The continuously adjusting SMB forcing is consistent with climate model forcing fields, also for initially non-glaciated areas in the peripheral areas of an ice sheet. When applied to an asynchronous coupled ice sheet – climate model setup, this method circumvents traditional temperature lapse rate assumptions. Here we apply it to the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). Experiments using both steady-state forcing and glacial-interglacial forcing result in realistic ice sheet reconstructions. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Ice Sheet Utrecht University Repository Greenland |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Utrecht University Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftunivutrecht |
language |
English |
description |
It is notoriously difficult to couple surface mass balance (SMB) results from climate models to the changing geometry of an ice sheet model. This problem is traditionally avoided by using only accumulation from a climate model, and parameterizing the meltwater run-off as a function of temperature, which is often related to surface elevation (Hs). In this study, we propose a new strategy to calculate SMB, to allow a direct adjustment of SMB to a change in ice sheet topography and/or a change in climate forcing. This method is based on elevational gradients in the SMB field as computed by a regional climate model. Separate linear relations are derived for ablation and accumulation, using pairs of Hs and SMB within a minimum search radius. The continuously adjusting SMB forcing is consistent with climate model forcing fields, also for initially non-glaciated areas in the peripheral areas of an ice sheet. When applied to an asynchronous coupled ice sheet – climate model setup, this method circumvents traditional temperature lapse rate assumptions. Here we apply it to the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). Experiments using both steady-state forcing and glacial-interglacial forcing result in realistic ice sheet reconstructions. |
author2 |
Marine and Atmospheric Research Sub Dynamics Meteorology Dep Natuurkunde |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Helsen, M.M. van de Wal, R.S.W. van den Broeke, M.R. van de Berg, W.J. Oerlemans, J. |
spellingShingle |
Helsen, M.M. van de Wal, R.S.W. van den Broeke, M.R. van de Berg, W.J. Oerlemans, J. Towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the Greenland Ice Sheet |
author_facet |
Helsen, M.M. van de Wal, R.S.W. van den Broeke, M.R. van de Berg, W.J. Oerlemans, J. |
author_sort |
Helsen, M.M. |
title |
Towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_short |
Towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_full |
Towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_fullStr |
Towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_full_unstemmed |
Towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the Greenland Ice Sheet |
title_sort |
towards coupling of regional atmosphere models to ice sheet models by mass balance gradients - application to the greenland ice sheet |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242366 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Greenland Ice Sheet |
op_relation |
1994-0416 https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242366 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/EmbargoedAccess |
_version_ |
1772182723319824384 |