Modeling drifting snow in Antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. Results
This paper presents a model study of the impact of drifting snow on the lower atmosphere, surface snow characteristics, and surface mass balance of Antarctica. We use the regional atmospheric climate model RACMO2.1/ANT with a high horizontal resolution (27 km), equipped with a drifting snow routine...
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ftunivutrecht:oai:dspace.library.uu.nl:1874/242375 2023-11-12T04:03:57+01:00 Modeling drifting snow in Antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. Results Lenaerts, J.T.M. van den Broeke, M.R. Marine and Atmospheric Research Sub Dynamics Meteorology 2012 image/pdf https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242375 en eng 2169-897X https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242375 info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess Article 2012 ftunivutrecht 2023-11-01T23:12:04Z This paper presents a model study of the impact of drifting snow on the lower atmosphere, surface snow characteristics, and surface mass balance of Antarctica. We use the regional atmospheric climate model RACMO2.1/ANT with a high horizontal resolution (27 km), equipped with a drifting snow routine and forced by ERA-Interim (1989–2009) at its lateral and ocean boundaries. Drifting snow sublimation (SUds) is significant in Antarctica, especially in the coastal regions (>150 mm water equivalent yr!1). Integrated over the ice sheet, SUds removes "6% of the annually precipitated snow. Drifting snow interacts with the atmosphere, as it increases the lower atmospheric moisture content and reduces surface sublimation (SUs), and leads to increased snowfall in regions where the atmosphere usually is close to saturation. Drifting snow sublimation (SUds) is smallest in summer, when katabatic wind speeds are lower and melting and surface sublimation consolidate the snow surface. Compared to a simulation without drifting snow, total sublimation (SUds + SUs) doubles on the grounded ice sheet if drifting snow is considered. Drifting snow erosion is locally significant, but can be neglected on a continent-wide scale. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet Utrecht University Repository |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Utrecht University Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftunivutrecht |
language |
English |
description |
This paper presents a model study of the impact of drifting snow on the lower atmosphere, surface snow characteristics, and surface mass balance of Antarctica. We use the regional atmospheric climate model RACMO2.1/ANT with a high horizontal resolution (27 km), equipped with a drifting snow routine and forced by ERA-Interim (1989–2009) at its lateral and ocean boundaries. Drifting snow sublimation (SUds) is significant in Antarctica, especially in the coastal regions (>150 mm water equivalent yr!1). Integrated over the ice sheet, SUds removes "6% of the annually precipitated snow. Drifting snow interacts with the atmosphere, as it increases the lower atmospheric moisture content and reduces surface sublimation (SUs), and leads to increased snowfall in regions where the atmosphere usually is close to saturation. Drifting snow sublimation (SUds) is smallest in summer, when katabatic wind speeds are lower and melting and surface sublimation consolidate the snow surface. Compared to a simulation without drifting snow, total sublimation (SUds + SUs) doubles on the grounded ice sheet if drifting snow is considered. Drifting snow erosion is locally significant, but can be neglected on a continent-wide scale. |
author2 |
Marine and Atmospheric Research Sub Dynamics Meteorology |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lenaerts, J.T.M. van den Broeke, M.R. |
spellingShingle |
Lenaerts, J.T.M. van den Broeke, M.R. Modeling drifting snow in Antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. Results |
author_facet |
Lenaerts, J.T.M. van den Broeke, M.R. |
author_sort |
Lenaerts, J.T.M. |
title |
Modeling drifting snow in Antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. Results |
title_short |
Modeling drifting snow in Antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. Results |
title_full |
Modeling drifting snow in Antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. Results |
title_fullStr |
Modeling drifting snow in Antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. Results |
title_full_unstemmed |
Modeling drifting snow in Antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. Results |
title_sort |
modeling drifting snow in antarctica with a regional climate model: 2. results |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242375 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet |
op_relation |
2169-897X https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/242375 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
_version_ |
1782339945238626304 |