Spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in Antarctica
Surface melt is an important process for the stability of ice shelves, and therewith the Antarctic ice sheet. In Antarctica, absorption of solar radiation is mostly the largest energy source for surface melt, which is further enhanced by the snowmelt-albedo feedback (SMAF): Refrozen snow has a lower...
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ftunivutrecht:oai:dspace.library.uu.nl:1874/411205 2023-12-10T09:41:56+01:00 Spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in Antarctica Jakobs, C. L. Reijmer, C. H. van den Broeke, M. R. van de Berg, W. J. van Wessem, J. M. Sub Dynamics Meteorology Marine and Atmospheric Research 2021-02 application/pdf https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/411205 eng eng https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/411205 info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess 2021 ftunivutrecht 2023-11-15T23:15:42Z Surface melt is an important process for the stability of ice shelves, and therewith the Antarctic ice sheet. In Antarctica, absorption of solar radiation is mostly the largest energy source for surface melt, which is further enhanced by the snowmelt-albedo feedback (SMAF): Refrozen snow has a lower albedo than new snow, which causes it to absorb more solar radiation, further increasing the energy available for surface melt. This feedback has previously been shown to increase surface melt by approximately a factor of 2.5 at Neumayer Station in East Antarctica. In this study, we use a regional climate model to quantify SMAF for the entire Antarctic ice sheet. We find that it is most effective on ice shelves in East Antarctica, and is less important in the Antarctic Peninsula and on the Ross and Filchner-Ronne ice shelves. We identify a relationship between SMAF and average summer 2 m air temperatures, and find that SMAF is most important around 265 ± 2 K. On a subseasonal scale, we identify several parameters that contribute to SMAF: the length of dry periods, the time between significant snowfall events and snowmelt events, and prevailing temperatures. We then apply the same temperature dependency of SMAF to the Greenland ice sheet and find that it is potentially active in a narrow band around the ice sheet, and finally discuss how the importance of SMAF could change in a warming climate. Other/Unknown Material Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica East Antarctica Greenland Ice Sheet Ice Shelves Utrecht University Repository Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula East Antarctica Greenland Neumayer Neumayer Station The Antarctic |
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Open Polar |
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Utrecht University Repository |
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ftunivutrecht |
language |
English |
description |
Surface melt is an important process for the stability of ice shelves, and therewith the Antarctic ice sheet. In Antarctica, absorption of solar radiation is mostly the largest energy source for surface melt, which is further enhanced by the snowmelt-albedo feedback (SMAF): Refrozen snow has a lower albedo than new snow, which causes it to absorb more solar radiation, further increasing the energy available for surface melt. This feedback has previously been shown to increase surface melt by approximately a factor of 2.5 at Neumayer Station in East Antarctica. In this study, we use a regional climate model to quantify SMAF for the entire Antarctic ice sheet. We find that it is most effective on ice shelves in East Antarctica, and is less important in the Antarctic Peninsula and on the Ross and Filchner-Ronne ice shelves. We identify a relationship between SMAF and average summer 2 m air temperatures, and find that SMAF is most important around 265 ± 2 K. On a subseasonal scale, we identify several parameters that contribute to SMAF: the length of dry periods, the time between significant snowfall events and snowmelt events, and prevailing temperatures. We then apply the same temperature dependency of SMAF to the Greenland ice sheet and find that it is potentially active in a narrow band around the ice sheet, and finally discuss how the importance of SMAF could change in a warming climate. |
author2 |
Sub Dynamics Meteorology Marine and Atmospheric Research |
author |
Jakobs, C. L. Reijmer, C. H. van den Broeke, M. R. van de Berg, W. J. van Wessem, J. M. |
spellingShingle |
Jakobs, C. L. Reijmer, C. H. van den Broeke, M. R. van de Berg, W. J. van Wessem, J. M. Spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in Antarctica |
author_facet |
Jakobs, C. L. Reijmer, C. H. van den Broeke, M. R. van de Berg, W. J. van Wessem, J. M. |
author_sort |
Jakobs, C. L. |
title |
Spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in Antarctica |
title_short |
Spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in Antarctica |
title_full |
Spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in Antarctica |
title_sort |
spatial variability of the snowmelt–albedo feedback in antarctica |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/411205 |
geographic |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula East Antarctica Greenland Neumayer Neumayer Station The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula East Antarctica Greenland Neumayer Neumayer Station The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica East Antarctica Greenland Ice Sheet Ice Shelves |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica East Antarctica Greenland Ice Sheet Ice Shelves |
op_relation |
https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/411205 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
_version_ |
1784884653277052928 |