Calculating ice melt beneath a debris layer using meteorological data

• Main Authors: Nicholson, Lindsey, Benn, Douglas I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: GLACIER; GREENLAND; Greenland; glacier; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/publications/425f4725-adcd-4455-9d58-a41e88f8b00f; http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845770373&partnerID=8YFLogxK

Generalized numerical models of sub-debris ice ablation are preferable to empirical approaches for predicting runoff and glacier response to climate change, as empirical methods are site-specific and strongly dependent upon the conditions prevailing during the measurement period. We present a modified surface energy-balance model to calculate melt beneath a surface debris layer from daily mean meteorological variables. Despite numerous simplifications, the model performs well and modelled melt rates give a good match to observed melt rates, suggesting that this model can produce reliable estimates of ablation rate beneath debris layers several decimetres thick. This is a useful improvement on previous models which are inappropriate for thick debris cover.