Articles | Volume 15, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1065-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1065-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
01 Mar 2021
Research article |
| 01 Mar 2021
| 01 Mar 2021
Physics-based SNOWPACK model improves representation of near-surface Antarctic snow and firn density
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
Nander Wever
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
Marissa Dattler
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
Jan T. M. Lenaerts
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
Brooke Medley
Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
Peter Kuipers Munneke
Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Carleen Reijmer
Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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34 citations as recorded by crossref.
- KAN- and CNN-Driven Snow Stratigraphy Retrieval Across Antarctic and Subarctic Environments Z. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2025.3631822
- Antarctic-wide ice-shelf firn emulation reveals robust future firn air depletion signal for the Antarctic Peninsula D. Dunmire et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01255-4
- Observations and simulations of new snow density in the drifting snow-dominated environment of Antarctica N. Wever et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.102
- A wind-driven snow redistribution module for Alpine3D v3.3.0: adaptations designed for downscaling ice sheet surface mass balance E. Keenan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-3203-2023
- Two decades of dynamic change and progressive destabilization on the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf K. Alley et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5187-2021
- Extension of a Monolayer Energy-Budget Degree-Day Model to a Multilayer One J. Augas et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16081089
- On the factors and the degree of their effect on subglacial melt and changes in the state of Antarctic subglacial lakes A. Boronina et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2024.2406622
- Assessing the key concerns in snow storage: a case study for China X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3017-2024
- Extreme precipitation associated with atmospheric rivers over West Antarctic ice shelves: insights from kilometre-scale regional climate modelling E. Gilbert et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-597-2025
- Seasonal evolution of snow density and its impact on thermal regime of sea ice during the MOSAiC expedition Y. Cheng et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6001-2025
- Firn Core Evidence of Two‐Way Feedback Mechanisms Between Meltwater Infiltration and Firn Microstructure From the Western Percolation Zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet I. McDowell et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JF006752
- A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole C. Stevens et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.87
- Extreme events of snow grain size increase in East Antarctica and their relationship with meteorological conditions C. Stefanini et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-593-2024
- An evaluation of a physics-based firn model and a semi-empirical firn model across the Greenland Ice Sheet (1980–2020) M. Thompson-Munson et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2185-2023
- Firn air content changes on Antarctic ice shelves under three future warming scenarios S. Veldhuijsen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1983-2024
- Glacier Energy and Mass Balance (GEMB): a model of firn processes for cryosphere research A. Gardner et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-2277-2023
- Improving piecewise linear snow density models through hierarchical spatial and orthogonal functional smoothing P. White et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/env.2726
- Rescue and homogenization of 140 years of glacier mass balance data in Switzerland L. Geibel et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3293-2022
- Improving snowpack chemistry simulations through improved representation of liquid water movement through layered snow and rain-on-snow (ROS) episodes: Application to Svalbard, Norway D. Costa et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132573
- Snow model comparison to simulate snow depth evolution and sublimation at point scale in the semi-arid Andes of Chile A. Voordendag et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4241-2021
- Simulating the effect of natural convection in a tundra snow cover M. Jafari & M. Lehning https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-2439-2026
- Climatology and surface impacts of atmospheric rivers on West Antarctica M. Maclennan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-865-2023
- Firn densification in two dimensions: modeling the collapse of snow caves and enhanced densification in ice-stream shear margins J. Arrizabalaga-Iriarte et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2025.6
- Introducing CRYOWRF v1.0: multiscale atmospheric flow simulations with advanced snow cover modelling V. Sharma et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-719-2023
- A cold laboratory hyperspectral imaging system to map grain size and ice layer distributions in firn cores I. McDowell et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1925-2024
- Characteristics of the 1979–2020 Antarctic firn layer simulated with IMAU-FDM v1.2A S. Veldhuijsen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1675-2023
- Quantifying Antarctic‐Wide Ice‐Shelf Surface Melt Volume Using Microwave and Firn Model Data: 1980 to 2021 A. Banwell et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL102744
- Advancing cryospheric studies: a historical perspective on radio-echo soundgram analysis techniques A. Awati et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12145-025-01996-6
- Machine learning of Antarctic firn density by combining radiometer and scatterometer remote-sensing data W. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-37-2025
- Weakening of the pinning point buttressing Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica C. Wild et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-397-2022
- The importance of cloud properties when assessing surface melting in an offline-coupled firn model over Ross Ice shelf, West Antarctica N. Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2897-2024
- Improved representation of the contemporary Greenland ice sheet firn layer by IMAU-FDM v1.2G M. Brils et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7121-2022
- Contrasting regional variability of buried meltwater extent over 2 years across the Greenland Ice Sheet D. Dunmire et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2983-2021
- Greenland's firn responds more to warming than to cooling M. Thompson-Munson et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3333-2024
34 citations as recorded by crossref.
- KAN- and CNN-Driven Snow Stratigraphy Retrieval Across Antarctic and Subarctic Environments Z. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2025.3631822
- Antarctic-wide ice-shelf firn emulation reveals robust future firn air depletion signal for the Antarctic Peninsula D. Dunmire et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01255-4
- Observations and simulations of new snow density in the drifting snow-dominated environment of Antarctica N. Wever et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.102
- A wind-driven snow redistribution module for Alpine3D v3.3.0: adaptations designed for downscaling ice sheet surface mass balance E. Keenan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-3203-2023
- Two decades of dynamic change and progressive destabilization on the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf K. Alley et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5187-2021
- Extension of a Monolayer Energy-Budget Degree-Day Model to a Multilayer One J. Augas et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16081089
- On the factors and the degree of their effect on subglacial melt and changes in the state of Antarctic subglacial lakes A. Boronina et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2024.2406622
- Assessing the key concerns in snow storage: a case study for China X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3017-2024
- Extreme precipitation associated with atmospheric rivers over West Antarctic ice shelves: insights from kilometre-scale regional climate modelling E. Gilbert et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-597-2025
- Seasonal evolution of snow density and its impact on thermal regime of sea ice during the MOSAiC expedition Y. Cheng et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6001-2025
- Firn Core Evidence of Two‐Way Feedback Mechanisms Between Meltwater Infiltration and Firn Microstructure From the Western Percolation Zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet I. McDowell et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JF006752
- A new model of dry firn-densification constrained by continuous strain measurements near South Pole C. Stevens et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.87
- Extreme events of snow grain size increase in East Antarctica and their relationship with meteorological conditions C. Stefanini et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-593-2024
- An evaluation of a physics-based firn model and a semi-empirical firn model across the Greenland Ice Sheet (1980–2020) M. Thompson-Munson et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2185-2023
- Firn air content changes on Antarctic ice shelves under three future warming scenarios S. Veldhuijsen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1983-2024
- Glacier Energy and Mass Balance (GEMB): a model of firn processes for cryosphere research A. Gardner et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-2277-2023
- Improving piecewise linear snow density models through hierarchical spatial and orthogonal functional smoothing P. White et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/env.2726
- Rescue and homogenization of 140 years of glacier mass balance data in Switzerland L. Geibel et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3293-2022
- Improving snowpack chemistry simulations through improved representation of liquid water movement through layered snow and rain-on-snow (ROS) episodes: Application to Svalbard, Norway D. Costa et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132573
- Snow model comparison to simulate snow depth evolution and sublimation at point scale in the semi-arid Andes of Chile A. Voordendag et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4241-2021
- Simulating the effect of natural convection in a tundra snow cover M. Jafari & M. Lehning https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-2439-2026
- Climatology and surface impacts of atmospheric rivers on West Antarctica M. Maclennan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-865-2023
- Firn densification in two dimensions: modeling the collapse of snow caves and enhanced densification in ice-stream shear margins J. Arrizabalaga-Iriarte et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2025.6
- Introducing CRYOWRF v1.0: multiscale atmospheric flow simulations with advanced snow cover modelling V. Sharma et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-719-2023
- A cold laboratory hyperspectral imaging system to map grain size and ice layer distributions in firn cores I. McDowell et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1925-2024
- Characteristics of the 1979–2020 Antarctic firn layer simulated with IMAU-FDM v1.2A S. Veldhuijsen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1675-2023
- Quantifying Antarctic‐Wide Ice‐Shelf Surface Melt Volume Using Microwave and Firn Model Data: 1980 to 2021 A. Banwell et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL102744
- Advancing cryospheric studies: a historical perspective on radio-echo soundgram analysis techniques A. Awati et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12145-025-01996-6
- Machine learning of Antarctic firn density by combining radiometer and scatterometer remote-sensing data W. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-37-2025
- Weakening of the pinning point buttressing Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica C. Wild et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-397-2022
- The importance of cloud properties when assessing surface melting in an offline-coupled firn model over Ross Ice shelf, West Antarctica N. Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2897-2024
- Improved representation of the contemporary Greenland ice sheet firn layer by IMAU-FDM v1.2G M. Brils et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7121-2022
- Contrasting regional variability of buried meltwater extent over 2 years across the Greenland Ice Sheet D. Dunmire et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2983-2021
- Greenland's firn responds more to warming than to cooling M. Thompson-Munson et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3333-2024
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 11 Jun 2026
Short summary
Snow density is required to convert observed changes in ice sheet volume into mass, which ultimately drives ice sheet contribution to sea level rise. However, snow properties respond dynamically to wind-driven redistribution. Here we include a new wind-driven snow density scheme into an existing snow model. Our results demonstrate an improved representation of snow density when compared to observations and can therefore be used to improve retrievals of ice sheet mass balance.
Snow density is required to convert observed changes in ice sheet volume into mass, which...
