Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica
Wind-driven snow redistribution can increase the spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation on ice caps and ice sheets, and may prove crucial for the initiation and survival of glaciers in areas of marginal glaciation. We present a snowdrift model (Snow_Blow), which extends and improves the model of...
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ftunivwollongong:oai:ro.uow.edu.au:smhpapers1-1987 2023-05-15T13:57:48+02:00 Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica Mills, Stephanie C Le Brocq, Anne Winter, Kate Smith, Michael Hillier, John Ardakova, Ekaterina Boston, Clare Sugden, David Woodward, John 2019-01-01T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://ro.uow.edu.au/smhpapers1/973 https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1987&context=smhpapers1 unknown Research Online https://ro.uow.edu.au/smhpapers1/973 https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1987&context=smhpapers1 Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B article 2019 ftunivwollongong 2021-08-23T22:26:29Z Wind-driven snow redistribution can increase the spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation on ice caps and ice sheets, and may prove crucial for the initiation and survival of glaciers in areas of marginal glaciation. We present a snowdrift model (Snow_Blow), which extends and improves the model of Purves, Mackaness and Sugden (1999, Journal of Quaternary Science 14, 313-321). The model calculates spatial variations in relative snow accumulation that result from variations in topography, using a digital elevation model (DEM) and wind direction as inputs. Improvements include snow redistribution using a flux routing algorithm, DEM resolution independence and the addition of a slope curvature component. This paper tests Snow_Blow in Antarctica (a modern environment) and reveals its potential for application in palaeoenvironmental settings, where input meteorological data are unavailable and difficult to estimate. Specifically, Snow_Blow is applied to the Ellsworth Mountains in West Antarctica where ablation is considered to be predominantly related to wind erosion processes. We find that Snow_Blow is able to replicate well the existing distribution of accumulating snow and snow erosion as recorded in and around Blue Ice Areas. Lastly, a variety of model parameters are tested, including depositional distance and erosion vs wind speed, to provide the most likely input parameters for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica West Antarctica University of Wollongong, Australia: Research Online Ellsworth Mountains ENVELOPE(-85.000,-85.000,-78.750,-78.750) West Antarctica |
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Open Polar |
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University of Wollongong, Australia: Research Online |
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ftunivwollongong |
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description |
Wind-driven snow redistribution can increase the spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation on ice caps and ice sheets, and may prove crucial for the initiation and survival of glaciers in areas of marginal glaciation. We present a snowdrift model (Snow_Blow), which extends and improves the model of Purves, Mackaness and Sugden (1999, Journal of Quaternary Science 14, 313-321). The model calculates spatial variations in relative snow accumulation that result from variations in topography, using a digital elevation model (DEM) and wind direction as inputs. Improvements include snow redistribution using a flux routing algorithm, DEM resolution independence and the addition of a slope curvature component. This paper tests Snow_Blow in Antarctica (a modern environment) and reveals its potential for application in palaeoenvironmental settings, where input meteorological data are unavailable and difficult to estimate. Specifically, Snow_Blow is applied to the Ellsworth Mountains in West Antarctica where ablation is considered to be predominantly related to wind erosion processes. We find that Snow_Blow is able to replicate well the existing distribution of accumulating snow and snow erosion as recorded in and around Blue Ice Areas. Lastly, a variety of model parameters are tested, including depositional distance and erosion vs wind speed, to provide the most likely input parameters for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mills, Stephanie C Le Brocq, Anne Winter, Kate Smith, Michael Hillier, John Ardakova, Ekaterina Boston, Clare Sugden, David Woodward, John |
spellingShingle |
Mills, Stephanie C Le Brocq, Anne Winter, Kate Smith, Michael Hillier, John Ardakova, Ekaterina Boston, Clare Sugden, David Woodward, John Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
author_facet |
Mills, Stephanie C Le Brocq, Anne Winter, Kate Smith, Michael Hillier, John Ardakova, Ekaterina Boston, Clare Sugden, David Woodward, John |
author_sort |
Mills, Stephanie C |
title |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_short |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_full |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (Snow_Blow) in the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica |
title_sort |
testing and application of a model for snow redistribution (snow_blow) in the ellsworth mountains, antarctica |
publisher |
Research Online |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://ro.uow.edu.au/smhpapers1/973 https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1987&context=smhpapers1 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-85.000,-85.000,-78.750,-78.750) |
geographic |
Ellsworth Mountains West Antarctica |
geographic_facet |
Ellsworth Mountains West Antarctica |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica West Antarctica |
op_source |
Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B |
op_relation |
https://ro.uow.edu.au/smhpapers1/973 https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1987&context=smhpapers1 |
_version_ |
1766265692499214336 |