Characteristics of Surface “Melt Potential” over Antarctic Ice Shelves based on Regional Atmospheric Model Simulations of Summer Air Temperature Extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19
We calculate a regional surface “melt potential” index (MPI) over Antarctic ice shelves that describes the frequency (MPI-freq; %) and intensity (MPI-int; K) of daily maximum summer temperatures exceeding a melt threshold of 273.15 K. This is used to determine which ice shelves are vulnerable to mel...
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ftunivutrecht:oai:dspace.library.uu.nl:1874/428204 2023-07-23T04:14:46+02:00 Characteristics of Surface “Melt Potential” over Antarctic Ice Shelves based on Regional Atmospheric Model Simulations of Summer Air Temperature Extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19 Orr, Andrew Prenab, Deb Clem, Kyle Gilbert, Ella Bromwich, D.H. Boberg, F. Colwell, Steve Hansen, Nicolaj Lazzara, Matthew A. Mooney, Priscilla Mottram, Ruth H. Niwano, Masashi Phillips, Tony Pishniak, Denys Tijm - Reijmer, Carleen van de Berg, Willem Jan Webster, Stuart Zou, Xun Sub Dynamics Meteorology Marine and Atmospheric Research 2023-04-30 application/pdf https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/428204 en eng 0894-8755 https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/428204 info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess Extreme events Antarctica Ice shelves El Nino Snowmelt/icemelt Climate models Article 2023 ftunivutrecht 2023-07-02T03:56:11Z We calculate a regional surface “melt potential” index (MPI) over Antarctic ice shelves that describes the frequency (MPI-freq; %) and intensity (MPI-int; K) of daily maximum summer temperatures exceeding a melt threshold of 273.15 K. This is used to determine which ice shelves are vulnerable to melt-induced hydrofracture and is calculated using near-surface temperature output for each summer from 1979/80 to 2018/19 from two high-resolution regional atmospheric model hindcasts (using the MetUM and HIRHAM5). MPI is highest for Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves (MPI-freq 23%–35%, MPI-int 1.2–2.1 K), lowest (2%–3%, <0 K) for the Ronne–Filchner and Ross ice shelves, and around 10%–24% and 0.6–1.7 K for the other West and East Antarctic ice shelves. Hotspots of MPI are apparent over many ice shelves, and they also show a decreasing trend in MPI-freq. The regional circulation patterns associated with high MPI values over West and East Antarctic ice shelves are remarkably consistent for their respective region but tied to different large-scale climate forcings. The West Antarctic circulation resembles the central Pacific El Niño pattern with a stationary Rossby wave and a strong anticyclone over the high-latitude South Pacific. By contrast, the East Antarctic circulation comprises a zonally symmetric negative Southern Annular Mode pattern with a strong regional anticyclone on the plateau and enhanced coastal easterlies/weakened Southern Ocean westerlies. Values of MPI are 3–4 times larger for a lower temperature/melt threshold of 271.15 K used in a sensitivity test, as melting can occur at temperatures lower than 273.15 K depending on snowpack properties. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Ice Shelves Southern Ocean Utrecht University Repository Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Pacific Southern Ocean |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Utrecht University Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftunivutrecht |
language |
English |
topic |
Extreme events Antarctica Ice shelves El Nino Snowmelt/icemelt Climate models |
spellingShingle |
Extreme events Antarctica Ice shelves El Nino Snowmelt/icemelt Climate models Orr, Andrew Prenab, Deb Clem, Kyle Gilbert, Ella Bromwich, D.H. Boberg, F. Colwell, Steve Hansen, Nicolaj Lazzara, Matthew A. Mooney, Priscilla Mottram, Ruth H. Niwano, Masashi Phillips, Tony Pishniak, Denys Tijm - Reijmer, Carleen van de Berg, Willem Jan Webster, Stuart Zou, Xun Characteristics of Surface “Melt Potential” over Antarctic Ice Shelves based on Regional Atmospheric Model Simulations of Summer Air Temperature Extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19 |
topic_facet |
Extreme events Antarctica Ice shelves El Nino Snowmelt/icemelt Climate models |
description |
We calculate a regional surface “melt potential” index (MPI) over Antarctic ice shelves that describes the frequency (MPI-freq; %) and intensity (MPI-int; K) of daily maximum summer temperatures exceeding a melt threshold of 273.15 K. This is used to determine which ice shelves are vulnerable to melt-induced hydrofracture and is calculated using near-surface temperature output for each summer from 1979/80 to 2018/19 from two high-resolution regional atmospheric model hindcasts (using the MetUM and HIRHAM5). MPI is highest for Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves (MPI-freq 23%–35%, MPI-int 1.2–2.1 K), lowest (2%–3%, <0 K) for the Ronne–Filchner and Ross ice shelves, and around 10%–24% and 0.6–1.7 K for the other West and East Antarctic ice shelves. Hotspots of MPI are apparent over many ice shelves, and they also show a decreasing trend in MPI-freq. The regional circulation patterns associated with high MPI values over West and East Antarctic ice shelves are remarkably consistent for their respective region but tied to different large-scale climate forcings. The West Antarctic circulation resembles the central Pacific El Niño pattern with a stationary Rossby wave and a strong anticyclone over the high-latitude South Pacific. By contrast, the East Antarctic circulation comprises a zonally symmetric negative Southern Annular Mode pattern with a strong regional anticyclone on the plateau and enhanced coastal easterlies/weakened Southern Ocean westerlies. Values of MPI are 3–4 times larger for a lower temperature/melt threshold of 271.15 K used in a sensitivity test, as melting can occur at temperatures lower than 273.15 K depending on snowpack properties. |
author2 |
Sub Dynamics Meteorology Marine and Atmospheric Research |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Orr, Andrew Prenab, Deb Clem, Kyle Gilbert, Ella Bromwich, D.H. Boberg, F. Colwell, Steve Hansen, Nicolaj Lazzara, Matthew A. Mooney, Priscilla Mottram, Ruth H. Niwano, Masashi Phillips, Tony Pishniak, Denys Tijm - Reijmer, Carleen van de Berg, Willem Jan Webster, Stuart Zou, Xun |
author_facet |
Orr, Andrew Prenab, Deb Clem, Kyle Gilbert, Ella Bromwich, D.H. Boberg, F. Colwell, Steve Hansen, Nicolaj Lazzara, Matthew A. Mooney, Priscilla Mottram, Ruth H. Niwano, Masashi Phillips, Tony Pishniak, Denys Tijm - Reijmer, Carleen van de Berg, Willem Jan Webster, Stuart Zou, Xun |
author_sort |
Orr, Andrew |
title |
Characteristics of Surface “Melt Potential” over Antarctic Ice Shelves based on Regional Atmospheric Model Simulations of Summer Air Temperature Extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19 |
title_short |
Characteristics of Surface “Melt Potential” over Antarctic Ice Shelves based on Regional Atmospheric Model Simulations of Summer Air Temperature Extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19 |
title_full |
Characteristics of Surface “Melt Potential” over Antarctic Ice Shelves based on Regional Atmospheric Model Simulations of Summer Air Temperature Extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19 |
title_fullStr |
Characteristics of Surface “Melt Potential” over Antarctic Ice Shelves based on Regional Atmospheric Model Simulations of Summer Air Temperature Extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Characteristics of Surface “Melt Potential” over Antarctic Ice Shelves based on Regional Atmospheric Model Simulations of Summer Air Temperature Extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19 |
title_sort |
characteristics of surface “melt potential” over antarctic ice shelves based on regional atmospheric model simulations of summer air temperature extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19 |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/428204 |
geographic |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Pacific Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Pacific Southern Ocean |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Ice Shelves Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Ice Shelves Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
0894-8755 https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/428204 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
_version_ |
1772187141611192320 |