Articles | Volume 16, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1031-2022
© Author(s) 2022. 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-16-1031-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Mar 2022
Research article |
| 16 Mar 2022
| 16 Mar 2022
A local model of snow–firn dynamics and application to the Colle Gnifetti site
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Carlo De Michele
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Related authors
Fabiola Banfi, Emanuele Bevacqua, Pauline Rivoire, Sérgio C. Oliveira, Joaquim G. Pinto, Alexandre M. Ramos, and Carlo De Michele
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2023-212, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2023-212, 2023
Preprint under review for NHESS
Short summary
Short summary
Landslides are complex phenomena, causing important impacts in vulnerable areas and they are often triggered by rainfall. Here, we develop a new approach that uses information on the temporal clustering of rainfall, i.e. multiple events close in time, to detect landslide events and compare it with the use of classical empirical rainfall thresholds, considering as a case study the region of Lisbon, Portugal. The results could help to improve the prediction of rainfall-triggered landslides.
Fabiola Banfi and Carlo De Michele
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-357, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-357, 2021
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Climate changes require a dynamic description of glaciers in hydrological models. In this study we focus on the local modeling of snow and firn. We tested our model at the site of Colle Gnifetti, 4400–4550 m a.s.l. The model shows that wind erodes all the precipitation of the cold months, while snow is in part conserved between May and September, since higher temperatures protect snow from erosion. We also compared modeled and observed firn density obtaining a satisfying agreement.
Carmelo Cammalleri, Carlo De Michele, and Andrea Toreti
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 103–115, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-103-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Precipitation and soil moisture have the potential to be jointly used for the modeling of drought conditions. In this research, we analysed how their statistical inter-relationship varies across Europe. We found some clear spatial patterns, especially in the so-called tail dependence (which measures the strength of the relationship for the extreme values). The results suggest that the tail dependence needs to be accounted for to correctly assess the value of joint modeling for drought.
Fabiola Banfi, Emanuele Bevacqua, Pauline Rivoire, Sérgio C. Oliveira, Joaquim G. Pinto, Alexandre M. Ramos, and Carlo De Michele
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2023-212, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-2023-212, 2023
Preprint under review for NHESS
Short summary
Short summary
Landslides are complex phenomena, causing important impacts in vulnerable areas and they are often triggered by rainfall. Here, we develop a new approach that uses information on the temporal clustering of rainfall, i.e. multiple events close in time, to detect landslide events and compare it with the use of classical empirical rainfall thresholds, considering as a case study the region of Lisbon, Portugal. The results could help to improve the prediction of rainfall-triggered landslides.
F. Ioli, E. Bruno, D. Calzolari, M. Galbiati, A. Mannocchi, P. Manzoni, M. Martini, A. Bianchi, A. Cina, C. De Michele, and L. Pinto
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-M-1-2023, 137–144, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-M-1-2023-137-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-M-1-2023-137-2023, 2023
Greta Cazzaniga, Carlo De Michele, Michele D'Amico, Cristina Deidda, Antonio Ghezzi, and Roberto Nebuloni
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2093–2111, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2093-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2093-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Rainfall estimates are usually obtained from rain gauges, weather radars, or satellites. An alternative is the measurement of the signal loss induced by rainfall on commercial microwave links (CMLs). In this work, we assess the hydrologic response of Lambro Basin when CML-retrieved rainfall is used as model input. CML estimates agree with rain gauge data. CML-driven discharge simulations show performance comparable to that from rain gauges if a CML-based calibration of the model is undertaken.
Roberto Villalobos-Herrera, Emanuele Bevacqua, Andreia F. S. Ribeiro, Graeme Auld, Laura Crocetti, Bilyana Mircheva, Minh Ha, Jakob Zscheischler, and Carlo De Michele
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1867–1885, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-1867-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-1867-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Climate hazards may be caused by events which have multiple drivers. Here we present a method to break down climate model biases in hazard indicators down to the bias caused by each driving variable. Using simplified fire and heat stress indicators driven by temperature and relative humidity as examples, we show how multivariate indicators may have complex biases and that the relationship between driving variables is a source of bias that must be considered in climate model bias corrections.
Marco Bongio, Ali Nadir Arslan, Cemal Melih Tanis, and Carlo De Michele
The Cryosphere, 15, 369–387, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-369-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-369-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The capability of time-lapse photography to retrieve snow depth time series was tested. We demonstrated that this method can be efficiently used in three different case studies: two in the Italian Alps and one in a forested region of Finland, with an accuracy comparable to the most common methods such as ultrasonic sensors or manual measurements. We hope that this simple method based only on a camera and a graduated stake can enable snow depth measurements in dangerous and inaccessible sites.
Fabiola Banfi and Carlo De Michele
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-357, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-357, 2021
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Climate changes require a dynamic description of glaciers in hydrological models. In this study we focus on the local modeling of snow and firn. We tested our model at the site of Colle Gnifetti, 4400–4550 m a.s.l. The model shows that wind erodes all the precipitation of the cold months, while snow is in part conserved between May and September, since higher temperatures protect snow from erosion. We also compared modeled and observed firn density obtaining a satisfying agreement.
Katia Cugerone, Carlo De Michele, Antonio Ghezzi, Vorne Gianelle, and Stefania Gilardoni
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 4831–4842, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4831-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4831-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The aerosol particle number size distributions (PNSDs) measured in one urban background site (Milan) and in one rural mountainous site (Oga San Colombano) have been studied and compared. Detailed statistical analyses have shown that a common empirical PNSD pattern exists, except for the urban winter data. In order to explain this phenomenon, we analysed the aerosol dynamics by considering the influence of primary aerosol components and the interaction with precipitation and high wind speed.
Francesco Avanzi, Alberto Bianchi, Alberto Cina, Carlo De Michele, Paolo Maschio, Diana Pagliari, Daniele Passoni, Livio Pinto, Marco Piras, and Lorenzo Rossi
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-57, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-57, 2017
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
We compare three different instruments used to collect snow depth, i.e., photogrammetric surveys using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), a 3D laser scanning, and manual probing. The relatively high density of manual data (135 pt over 6700 m2, i.e., 2 pt/100 m2) enables to assess the performance of UAS in capturing the marked spatial variability of snow. Results suggest that UAS represent a competitive choice among existing techniques for high-precision, high-resolution remote sensing of snow.
Francesco Avanzi, Hiroyuki Hirashima, Satoru Yamaguchi, Takafumi Katsushima, and Carlo De Michele
The Cryosphere, 10, 2013–2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2013-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2013-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate capillary barriers and preferential flow in layered snow during nine cold laboratory experiments. The dynamics of each sample were replicated solving Richards equation within the 1-D multi-layer physically based SNOWPACK model. Results show that both processes affect the speed of water infiltration in stratified snow and are marked by a high degree of spatial variability at cm scale and complex 3-D patterns.
Carlo De Michele, Francesco Avanzi, Daniele Passoni, Riccardo Barzaghi, Livio Pinto, Paolo Dosso, Antonio Ghezzi, Roberto Gianatti, and Giacomo Della Vedova
The Cryosphere, 10, 511–522, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-511-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-511-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate snow depth distribution at peak accumulation over a small Alpine area using photogrammetry-based surveys with a fixed wing unmanned aerial system. Results reveal that UAS estimations of point snow depth present an average difference with reference to manual measurements equal to -0.073 m. Moreover, in this case study snow depth standard deviation (hence coefficient of variation) increases with decreasing cell size, but it stabilizes for resolutions smaller than 1 m.
P. Licznar, C. De Michele, and W. Adamowski
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 485–506, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-485-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-485-2015, 2015
P. Da Ronco and C. De Michele
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4579–4600, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4579-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4579-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
The negative impacts of cloud obstruction in snow mapping from MODIS and a new reliable cloud removal procedure for the Italian Alps.
Related subject area
Discipline: Glaciers | Subject: Glacier Hydrology
Characterizing sub-glacial hydrology using radar simulations
Velocity variations and hydrological drainage at Baltoro Glacier, Pakistan
Seasonal to decadal dynamics of supraglacial lakes on debris-covered glaciers in the Khumbu region, Nepal
A conceptual model for glacial lake bathymetric distribution
The evolution of isolated cavities and hydraulic connection at the glacier bed – Part 1: Steady states and friction laws
The evolution of isolated cavities and hydraulic connection at the glacier bed – Part 2: A dynamic viscoelastic model
The impact of surface melt rate and catchment characteristics on Greenland Ice Sheet moulin inputs
Hydrological Response of Andean Catchments to Recent Glacier Mass Loss
Evaporation over a glacial lake in Antarctica
Accumulation of legacy fallout radionuclides in cryoconite on Isfallsglaciären (Arctic Sweden) and their downstream spatial distribution
Drainage of an ice-dammed lake through a supraglacial stream: hydraulics and thermodynamics
Development of a subglacial lake monitored with radio-echo sounding: case study from the eastern Skaftá cauldron in the Vatnajökull ice cap, Iceland
Geophysical constraints on the properties of a subglacial lake in northwest Greenland
Gulf of Alaska ice-marginal lake area change over the Landsat record and potential physical controls
Sensitivity of subglacial drainage to water supply distribution at the Kongsfjord basin, Svalbard
Buoyant calving and ice-contact lake evolution at Pasterze Glacier (Austria) in the period 1998–2019
An analysis of instabilities and limit cycles in glacier-dammed reservoirs
Coupled modelling of subglacial hydrology and calving-front melting at Store Glacier, West Greenland
Channelized, distributed, and disconnected: subglacial drainage under a valley glacier in the Yukon
Chris Pierce, Christopher Gerekos, Mark Skidmore, Lucas Beem, Don Blankenship, Won Sang Lee, Ed Adams, Choon-Ki Lee, and Jamey Stutz
The Cryosphere, 18, 1495–1515, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1495-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1495-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Water beneath glaciers in Antarctica can influence how the ice slides or melts. Airborne radar can detect this water, which looks bright in radar images. However, common techniques cannot identify the water's size or shape. We used a simulator to show how the radar image changes based on the bed material, size, and shape of the waterbody. This technique was applied to a suspected waterbody beneath Thwaites Glacier. We found it may be consistent with a series of wide, flat canals or a lake.
Anna Wendleder, Jasmin Bramboeck, Jamie Izzard, Thilo Erbertseder, Pablo d'Angelo, Andreas Schmitt, Duncan J. Quincey, Christoph Mayer, and Matthias H. Braun
The Cryosphere, 18, 1085–1103, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1085-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1085-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyses the basal sliding and the hydrological drainage of Baltoro Glacier, Pakistan. The surface velocity was characterized by a spring speed-up, summer peak, and autumn speed-up. Snow melt has the largest impact on the spring speed-up, summer velocity peak, and the transition from inefficient to efficient drainage. Drainage from supraglacial lakes contributed to the fall speed-up. Increased summer temperatures will intensify the magnitude of meltwater and thus surface velocities.
Lucas Zeller, Daniel McGrath, Scott W. McCoy, and Jonathan Jacquet
The Cryosphere, 18, 525–541, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-525-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-525-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we developed methods for automatically identifying supraglacial lakes in multiple satellite imagery sources for eight glaciers in Nepal. We identified a substantial seasonal variability in lake area, which was as large as the variability seen across entire decades. These complex patterns are not captured in existing regional-scale datasets. Our findings show that this seasonal variability must be accounted for in order to interpret long-term changes in debris-covered glaciers.
Taigang Zhang, Weicai Wang, and Baosheng An
The Cryosphere, 17, 5137–5154, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5137-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5137-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Detailed glacial lake bathymetry surveys are essential for accurate glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) simulation and risk assessment. We creatively developed a conceptual model for glacial lake bathymetric distribution. The basic idea is that the statistical glacial lake volume–area curves conform to a power-law relationship indicating that the idealized geometric shape of the glacial lake basin should be hemispheres or cones.
Christian Schoof
The Cryosphere, 17, 4797–4815, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4797-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4797-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Computational models that seek to predict the future behaviour of ice sheets and glaciers typically rely on being able to compute the rate at which a glacier slides over its bed. In this paper, I show that the degree to which the glacier bed is
hydraulically connected(how easily water can flow along the glacier bed) plays a central role in determining how fast ice can slide.
Christian Schoof
The Cryosphere, 17, 4817–4836, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4817-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4817-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The subglacial drainage of meltwater plays a major role in regulating glacier and ice sheet flow. In this paper, I construct and solve a mathematical model that describes how connections are made within the subglacial drainage system. This will aid future efforts to predict glacier response to surface melt supply.
Tim Hill and Christine F. Dow
The Cryosphere, 17, 2607–2624, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2607-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2607-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Water flow across the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet controls the rate of water flow to the glacier bed. Here, we simulate surface water flow for a small catchment on the southwestern Greenland Ice Sheet. Our simulations predict significant differences in the form of surface water flow in high and low melt years depending on the rate and intensity of surface melt. These model outputs will be important in future work assessing the impact of surface water flow on subglacial water pressure.
Alexis Caro, Thomas Condom, Antoine Rabatel, Nicolas Champollion, Nicolás García, and Freddy Saavedra
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-888, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-888, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The glacier runoff changes are still unknown in most of the Andes, thereby increasing uncertainties in estimating water availability mainly in the dry season. Here, we simulate glacier evolution and related runoff changes across the Andes between 2000–2019. Our results show a glacier reduction in 93 % of the catchments, inducing an increase in the glacier melt of 12 %. These results can be downloaded and coupled with discharge measurements in each catchment.
Elena Shevnina, Miguel Potes, Timo Vihma, Tuomas Naakka, Pankaj Ramji Dhote, and Praveen Kumar Thakur
The Cryosphere, 16, 3101–3121, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3101-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3101-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The evaporation over an ice-free glacial lake was measured in January 2018, and the uncertainties inherent to five indirect methods were quantified. Results show that in summer up to 5 mm of water evaporated daily from the surface of the lake located in Antarctica. The indirect methods underestimated the evaporation over the lake's surface by up to 72 %. The results are important for estimating the evaporation over polar regions where a growing number of glacial lakes have recently been evident.
Caroline C. Clason, Will H. Blake, Nick Selmes, Alex Taylor, Pascal Boeckx, Jessica Kitch, Stephanie C. Mills, Giovanni Baccolo, and Geoffrey E. Millward
The Cryosphere, 15, 5151–5168, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5151-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5151-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Our paper presents results of sample collection and subsequent geochemical analyses from the glaciated Isfallsglaciären catchment in Arctic Sweden. The data suggest that material found on the surface of glaciers,
cryoconite, is very efficient at accumulating products of nuclear fallout transported in the atmosphere following events such as the Chernobyl disaster. We investigate how this compares with samples in the downstream environment and consider potential environmental implications.
Christophe Ogier, Mauro A. Werder, Matthias Huss, Isabelle Kull, David Hodel, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 15, 5133–5150, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5133-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5133-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier-dammed lakes are prone to draining rapidly when the ice dam breaks and constitute a serious threat to populations downstream. Such a lake drainage can proceed through an open-air channel at the glacier surface. In this study, we present what we believe to be the most complete dataset to date of an ice-dammed lake drainage through such an open-air channel. We provide new insights for future glacier-dammed lake drainage modelling studies and hazard assessments.
Eyjólfur Magnússon, Finnur Pálsson, Magnús T. Gudmundsson, Thórdís Högnadóttir, Cristian Rossi, Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson, Benedikt G. Ófeigsson, Erik Sturkell, and Tómas Jóhannesson
The Cryosphere, 15, 3731–3749, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3731-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3731-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present a unique insight into the shape and development of a subglacial lake over a 7-year period, using repeated radar survey. The lake collects geothermal meltwater, which is released in semi-regular floods, often referred to as jökulhlaups. The applicability of our survey approach to monitor the water stored in the lake for a better assessment of the potential hazard of jökulhlaups is demonstrated by comparison with independent measurements of released water volume during two jökulhlaups.
Ross Maguire, Nicholas Schmerr, Erin Pettit, Kiya Riverman, Christyna Gardner, Daniella N. DellaGiustina, Brad Avenson, Natalie Wagner, Angela G. Marusiak, Namrah Habib, Juliette I. Broadbeck, Veronica J. Bray, and Samuel H. Bailey
The Cryosphere, 15, 3279–3291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3279-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3279-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In the last decade, airborne radar surveys have revealed the presence of lakes below the Greenland ice sheet. However, little is known about their properties, including their depth and the volume of water they store. We performed a ground-based geophysics survey in northwestern Greenland and, for the first time, were able to image the depth of a subglacial lake and estimate its volume. Our findings have implications for the thermal state and stability of the ice sheet in northwest Greenland.
Hannah R. Field, William H. Armstrong, and Matthias Huss
The Cryosphere, 15, 3255–3278, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3255-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3255-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The growth of a glacier lake alters the hydrology, ecology, and glaciology of its surrounding region. We investigate modern glacier lake area change across northwestern North America using repeat satellite imagery. Broadly, we find that lakes downstream from glaciers grew, while lakes dammed by glaciers shrunk. Our results suggest that the shape of the landscape surrounding a glacier lake plays a larger role in determining how quickly a lake changes than climatic or glaciologic factors.
Chloé Scholzen, Thomas V. Schuler, and Adrien Gilbert
The Cryosphere, 15, 2719–2738, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2719-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2719-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We use a two-dimensional model of water flow below the glaciers in Kongsfjord, Svalbard, to investigate how different processes of surface-to-bed meltwater transfer affect subglacial hydraulic conditions. The latter are important for the sliding motion of glaciers, which in some cases exhibit huge variations. Our findings indicate that the glaciers in our study area undergo substantial sliding because water is poorly evacuated from their base, with limited influence from the surface hydrology.
Andreas Kellerer-Pirklbauer, Michael Avian, Douglas I. Benn, Felix Bernsteiner, Philipp Krisch, and Christian Ziesler
The Cryosphere, 15, 1237–1258, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1237-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1237-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Present climate warming leads to glacier recession and formation of lakes. We studied the nature and rate of lake evolution in the period 1998–2019 at Pasterze Glacier, Austria. We detected for instance several large-scale and rapidly occurring ice-breakup events from below the water level. This process, previously not reported from the European Alps, might play an important role at alpine glaciers in the future as many glaciers are expected to recede into valley basins allowing lake formation.
Christian Schoof
The Cryosphere, 14, 3175–3194, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3175-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3175-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Glacier lake outburst floods are major glacial hazards in which ice-dammed reservoirs rapidly drain, often in a recurring fashion. The main flood phase typically involves a growing channel being eroded into ice by water flow. What is poorly understood is how that channel first comes into being. In this paper, I investigate how an under-ice drainage system composed of small, naturally occurring voids can turn into a channel and how this can explain the cyclical behaviour of outburst floods.
Samuel J. Cook, Poul Christoffersen, Joe Todd, Donald Slater, and Nolwenn Chauché
The Cryosphere, 14, 905–924, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-905-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-905-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This paper models how water flows beneath a large Greenlandic glacier and how the structure of the drainage system it flows in changes over time. We also look at how this affects melting driven by freshwater plumes at the glacier front, as well as the implications for glacier flow and sea-level rise. We find an active drainage system and plumes exist year round, contradicting previous assumptions and suggesting more melting may not slow the glacier down, unlike at other sites in Greenland.
Camilo Rada and Christian Schoof
The Cryosphere, 12, 2609–2636, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2609-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2609-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We analyse a large glacier borehole pressure dataset and provide a holistic view of the observations, suggesting a consistent picture of the evolution of the subglacial drainage system. Some aspects are consistent with the established understanding and others ones are not. We propose that most of the inconsistencies arise from the capacity of some areas of the bed to become hydraulically isolated. We present an adaptation of an existing drainage model that incorporates this phenomena.
Cited articles
Adhikary, S. P.: Inaugural address, in: Snow and glacier hydrology, edited by:
Young, G. J., International Association of Hydrological Sciences
(IAHS), Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK, ISBN 0-947571-83-3, 1993. a
Aizen, V. B., Aizen, E. M., and Melack, J. M.: Precipitation, melt and runoff
in the northern Tien Shan, J. Hydrol., 186, 229–251,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(96)03022-3, 1996. a
Alean, J., Haeberli, W., and Schädler, B.: Snow accumulation, firn
temperature and solar radiation in the area of the Colle Gnifetti core
drilling site (Monte Rosa, Swiss Alps): distribution patterns and
interrelationships, Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde und Glazialgeologie, 19,
131–147, 1983. a, b, c, d
Alley, R. B.: Firn densification by grain-boundary sliding: a first model, J.
Phys. Colloques, 48, C1-249–C1-256, https://doi.org/10.1051/jphyscol:1987135, 1987. a
Alpert, P.: Mesoscale Indexing of the Distribution of Orographic Precipitation
over High Mountains, J. Clim. Appl. Meteor., 25, 532–545,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1986)025<0532:MIOTDO>2.0.CO;2, 1986. a
Anderson, E. A.: A point energy and mass balance model of a snow cover,
vol. 19, NOAA Technical Report NWS, 19, United States, National Weather Service, https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/6392 (last access: 2 March 2022), 1976. a
Arnaud, L., Barnola, J. M., and Duval, P.: Physical modeling of the
densification of snow/firn and ice in the upper part of polar ice sheets, in:
Physics of ice core records, edited by: Hondoh, T., Hokkaido
University Press, Sapporo, Japan, pp. 285–305, http://hdl.handle.net/2115/32472 (last access: 2 March 2022), 2000. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k
Arthern, R. J., Vaughan, D. G., Rankin, A. M., Mulvaney, R., and Thomas, E. R.:
In situ measurements of Antarctic snow compaction compared with predictions
of models, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 115, F03011, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JF001306, 2010. a
Arzt, E.: The influence of an increasing particle coordination on the
densification of spherical powders, Acta Metall. Mater., 30, 1883–1890,
https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-6160(82)90028-1, 1982. a
Arzt, E., Ashby, M. F., and Easterling, K. E.: Practical applications of
hotisostatic pressing diagrams: four case studies, Metall. Mater. Trans. A,
14, 211–221, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02651618, 1983. a
Avanzi, F., De Michele, C., Ghezzi, A., Jommi, C., and Pepe, M.: A processing-
modeling routine to use SNOTEL hourly data in snowpack dynamic models, Adv.
Water Resour., 73, 16–29, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2014.06.011, 2014. a, b, c, d
Bader, H.: Sorge's Law of densification of snow on high polar glaciers, J.
Glaciol., 2, 319–323, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0022143000025144, 1954. a
Bainov, D. and Simeonov, P.: Impulsive differential equations: periodic
solutions and applications, 1st edn., vol. 66, Longman, England, ISBN 978-0582096394, 1993. a
Benn, D. I. and Evans, D. J. A.: Glaciers and glaciation, second edn.,
Hodder Education, London, ISBN 9780340905791, 2010. a
Bohleber, P., Wagenbach, D., Schöner, W., and Böhm, R.: To what extent do
water isotope records from low accumulation Alpine ice cores reproduce
instrumental temperature series?, Tellus B, 65, 20148,
https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusb.v65i0.20148, 2013. a
Bohleber, P., Erhardt, T., Spaulding, N., Hoffmann, H., Fischer, H., and Mayewski, P.: Temperature and mineral dust variability recorded in two low-accumulation Alpine ice cores over the last millennium, Clim. Past, 14, 21–37, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-14-21-2018, 2018. a, b
Calonne, N., Geindreau, C., Flin, F., Morin, S., Lesaffre, B., Rolland du Roscoat, S., and Charrier, P.: 3-D image-based numerical computations of snow permeability: links to specific surface area, density, and microstructural anisotropy, The Cryosphere, 6, 939–951, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-939-2012, 2012. a
Colbeck, S.: A theory of water percolation in snow, J. Glaciol., 11,
369–385, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0022143000022346, 1972. a
Déry, S. J. and Taylor, P. A.: Some aspects of the interaction of blowing
snow with the atmospheric boundary layer, Hydrol. Process., 10, 1345–1358,
https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1085(199610)10:10<1345::AID-HYP465>3.0.CO;2-2, 1996. a, b
DeWalle, D. R. and Rango, A.: Principles of snow hydrology, Cambridge
University Press, New York, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511535673, 2008. a, b
Domine, F., Taillandier, A.-S., and Simpson, W. R.: A parameterization of the
specific surface area of seasonal snow for field use and for models of
snowpack evolution, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 112, F02031, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JF000512,
2007. a, b
Doyle, S. H., Hubbard, A., Van De Wal, R. S., Box, J. E., Van As, D., Scharrer,
K., Meierbachtol, T. W., Smeets, P. C., Harper, J. T., and Johansson, E.:
Amplified melt and flow of the Greenland ice sheet driven by late-summer
cyclonic rainfall, Nat. Geosci., 8, 647–653, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2482, 2015. a
Duan, Q., Sorooshian, S., and Gupta, V.: Effective and efficient global
optimization for conceptual rainfall-runoff models, Water Resour. Res., 28,
1015–1031, https://doi.org/10.1029/91WR02985, 1992. a
Duan, Q. Y., Gupta, V. K., and Sorooshian, S.: Shuffled complex evolution
approach for effective and efficient global minimization, J. Optimiz.
Theory App., 76, 501–521, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00939380, 1993. a
Eichler, A., Schwikowski, M., Gäggeler, H. W., Furrer, V., Synal, H.-A.,
Beer, J., Saurer, M., and Funk, M.: Glaciochemical dating of an ice core from
upper Grenzgletscher (4200 m a.s.l.), J. Glaciol., 46, 507–515,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833098, 2000. a
Fountain, A. G. and Tangborn, W. V.: The Effect of Glaciers on Streamflow
Variations, Water Resour. Res., 21, 579–586, https://doi.org/10.1029/WR021i004p00579,
1985. a
Gäggeler, H., von Gunten, H. R., Rössler, E., Oeschger, H., and Schotterer,
U.: 210Pb dating of Cold Alpine Firn/Ice Cores From Colle Gnifetti,
Switzerland, J. Glaciol., 29, 165–177, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0022143000005220, 1983. a, b, c
Haeberli, W. and Alean, J.: Temperature and accumulation of high altitude firn
in the Alps, Ann. Glaciol., 6, 161–163, https://doi.org/10.3189/1985AoG6-1-161-163,
1985. a, b
Haeberli, W. and Funk, M.: Borehole temperatures at the Colle Gnifetti
core-drilling site (Monte Rosa, Swiss Alps), J. Glaciol., 37, 37–46,
https://doi.org/10.3189/S0022143000042775, 1991. a
Hagg, W., Braun, L. N., Kuhn, M., and Nesgaard, T. I.: Modelling of
hydrological response to climate change in glacierized Central Asian
catchments, J. Hydrol., 332, 40–53, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.06.021,
2007. a
He, S. and Ohara, N.: A New Formula for Estimating the Threshold Wind Speed for
Snow Movement, J. Adv. Model. Earth Sy., 9, 2514–2525,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017MS000982, 2017. a, b, c
Henn, B., Raleigh, M. S., Fisher, A., and Lundquist, J. D.: A comparison of
methods for filling gaps in hourly near-surface air temperature data, J.
Hydrometeorol., 14, 929–945, https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-12-027.1, 2013. a
Hock, R.: Temperature index melt modelling in mountain areas, J. Hydrol., 282,
104–115, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(03)00257-9, 2003. a
Hock, R., Jansson, P., and Braun, L. N.: Modelling the Response of Mountain Glacier Discharge to Climate Warming, in: Global Change and Mountain Regions: An Overview of Current
Knowledge,
edited by: Huber, U. M., Bugmann, H. K. M., and Reasoner, M. A., Adv.
Glob. Change Res., 23, 243–252, Springer, Dordrecht, the Netherlands, ISBN 978-1-4020-3508-1, https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3508-X_25, 2005. a
Hock, R., Rasul, G., Adler, C., Cáceres, B., Gruber, S., Hirabayashi, Y.,
Jackson, M., Kääb, A., Kang, S., Kutuzov, S., Milner, A., Molau, U.,
Morin, S., Orlove, B., and Steltzer, H.: High Mountain Areas, in: IPCC
Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, edited by:
Pörtner, H.-O., Roberts, D. C., Masson-Delmotte, V., Zhai, P., Tignor, M.,
Poloczanska, E., Mintenbeck, K., Alegría, A., Nicolai, M., Okem, A.,
Petzold, J., Rama, B., and Weyer, N. M., in press, https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/chapter/chapter-2/ (last access: 2 March 2022), 2019. a
Hosler, C. L., Jensen, D. C., and Goldshlak, L.: On the aggregation of ice
crystals to form snow, J. Meteor., 14, 415–420,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1957)014<0415:OTAOIC>2.0.CO;2, 1957. a
Huss, M.: Density assumptions for converting geodetic glacier volume change to mass change, The Cryosphere, 7, 877–887, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-877-2013, 2013. a, b
Huss, M., Jouvet, G., Farinotti, D., and Bauder, A.: Future high-mountain hydrology: a new parameterization of glacier retreat, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 815–829, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-14-815-2010, 2010. a, b, c
Hyndman, R. J. and Athanasopoulos, G.: Forecasting:
principles and practice, 3rd edn., OTexts: Melbourne, Australia, http://Otexts.com/fpp3 (last access: 2 March 2022), 2021. a
Jacka, T. and Jun, L.: The steady-state crystal size of deforming ice, Ann.
Glaciol., 20, 13–18, https://doi.org/10.3189/1994AoG20-1-13-18, 1994. a
Jansson, P., Hock, R., and Schneider, T.: The concept of glacier storage: a
review, J. Hydrol., 282, 116–129, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(03)00258-0, 2003. a
Jennings, K. S., Winchell, T. S., Livneh, B., and Molotch, N. P.: Spatial
variation of the rain-snow temperature threshold across the Northern
Hemisphere, Nat. Commun., 9, 1148, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03629-7, 2018. a
Jost, G., Moore, R. D., Menounos, B., and Wheate, R.: Quantifying the contribution of glacier runoff to streamflow in the upper Columbia River Basin, Canada, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 849–860, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-849-2012, 2012. a, b
Keck, L.: Climate significance of stable isotope records from Alpine ice cores,
PhD thesis, Institute of Environmental Physics, Heidelberg University,
Germany, https://doi.org/10.11588/heidok.00001837, 2001. a, b, c
Kelleners, T., Chandler, D., McNamara, J. P., Gribb, M. M., and Seyfried, M.:
Modeling the water and energy balance of vegetated areas with snow
accumulation, Vadose Zone J., 8, 1013–1030, https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2008.0183,
2009. a
Lehning, M., Doorschot, J., and Bartelt, P.: A snowdrift index based on
SNOWPACK model calculations, Ann. Glaciol., 31, 382–386,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756400781819770, 2000. a
Li, L. and Pomeroy, J. W.: Estimates of Threshold Wind Speeds for Snow
Transport Using Meteorological Data, J. Appl. Meteorol., 36, 205–213,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1997)036<0205:EOTWSF>2.0.CO;2, 1997. a
Licciulli, C., Bohleber, P., Lier, J., Gagliardini, O., Hoelzle, M., and Eisen,
O.: A full Stokes ice-flow model to assist the interpretation of
millennial-scale ice cores at the high-Alpine drilling site Colle Gnifetti,
Swiss/Italian Alps, J. Glaciol., 66, 35–48, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2019.82, 2020. a, b, c, d, e, f, g
Liston, G. E. and Elder, K.: A meteorological distribution system for
high-resolution terrestrial modeling (MicroMet), J. Hydrometeorol., 7,
217–234, https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM486.1, 2006. a
Liston, G. E., Haehnel, R. B., Sturm, M., Hiemstra, C. A., Berezovskaya, S.,
and Tabler, R. D.: Simulating complex snow distributions in windy
environments using SnowTran-3D, J. Glaciol., 53, 241–256,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756507782202865, 2007. a, b, c
Lundin, J. M., Stevens, C. M., Arthern, R., Buizert, C., Orsi, A., Ligtenberg,
S. R., Simonsen, S. B., Cummings, E., Essery, R., Leahy, W., Harris, P., Helsen M. M., and Waddington E.
D.: Firn
Model Intercomparison Experiment (FirnMICE), J. Glaciol., 63, 401–422,
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.114, 2017. a
Luo, Y., Arnold, J., Liu, S., Wang, X., and Chen, X.: Inclusion of glacier
processes for distributed hydrological modeling at basin scale with
application to a watershed in Tianshan Mountains, northwest China, J.
Hydrol., 477, 72–85, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.11.005, 2013. a
Maeno, N. and Arakawa, M.: Adhesion shear theory of ice friction at low sliding
velocities, combined with ice sintering, J. Appl. Phys., 95, 134–139,
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1633654, 2004. a
Mariani, I., Eichler, A., Jenk, T. M., Brönnimann, S., Auchmann, R., Leuenberger, M. C., and Schwikowski, M.: Temperature and precipitation signal in two Alpine ice cores over the period 1961–2001, Clim. Past, 10, 1093–1108, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-10-1093-2014, 2014. a, b
Martorina, S., Olivero, A., Loglisci, N., Pelosini, R., and Paesano, G.:
Capanna Margherita – The highest meteorological station in Europe. Is it
possible to consider it as representative of synoptic weather?, in:
International Conference on Alpine Meteorology and MAP-Meeting, Brig,
Switzerland, 19–23 May 2003, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261237335_Capanna_Margherita_-_The_highest_meteorological_station_in_Europe_Is_it_possible_to_consider_it_as_representative_of_synoptic_weather (last access: 2 March 2022), 2003. a
Naz, B. S., Frans, C. D., Clarke, G. K. C., Burns, P., and Lettenmaier, D. P.: Modeling the effect of glacier recession on streamflow response using a coupled glacio-hydrological model, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 787–802, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-787-2014, 2014. a, b
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information: Global Surface Hourly [station used: ID 06717099999], NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information [data set], https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/geoportal/rest/metadata/item/gov.noaa.ncdc:C00532/html (last access: 2 March 2022), 2001. a
Pomeroy, J. and Male, D.: Steady-state suspension of snow, J. Hydrol., 136,
275–301, https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(92)90015-N, 1992. a, b, c
Pomeroy, J. W. and Gray, D. M.: Saltation of snow, Water Resour. Res., 26,
1583–1594, https://doi.org/10.1029/WR026i007p01583, 1990. a, b
Pomeroy, J. W., Gray, D. M., and Landine, P. G.: The Prairie Blowing Snow
Model: characteristics, validation, operation, J. Hydrol., 144, 165–192,
https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(93)90171-5, 1993. a, b
Pomeroy, J. W., Marsh, P., and Gray, D. M.: Application of a distributed
blowing snow model to the Arctic, Hydrol. Process., 11, 1451–1464, https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1085(199709)11:11<1451::AID-HYP449>3.0.CO;2-Q, 1997. a
Roe, G. H.: Orographic precipitation, Annu. Rev. Earth Pl. Sc., 33, 645–671,
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.earth.33.092203.122541, 2005. a
Schöner, W., Auer, I., Böhm, R., Keck, L., and Wagenbach, D.:
Spatial representativity of air-temperature information from instrumental and
ice-core-based isotope records in the European Alps, Ann. Glaciol., 35,
157–161, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756402781816717, 2002. a, b
Seibert, J., Vis, M. J. P., Kohn, I., Weiler, M., and Stahl, K.: Technical note: Representing glacier geometry changes in a semi-distributed hydrological model, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 2211–2224, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2211-2018, 2018. a, b
Sigl, M., Abram, N. J., Gabrieli, J., Jenk, T. M., Osmont, D., and Schwikowski,
M.: Record of black carbon (rBC), bismuth, lead and others from 1741 to 2015
AD from Colle Gnifetti ice cores GC15 and GC03B (Swiss/Italian Alps),
PANGAEA [data set], https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.894787, 2018. a, b, c
Smiraglia, C., Maggi, V., Novo, A., Rossi, G., and Johnston, P.: Preliminary
results of two ice core drillings on Monte Rosa, Colle Gnifetti and Colle del
Lys, Italian Alps, Geogr. Fis. Din. Quat., 23, 165–172, 2000. a
Stevens, C. M., Verjans, V., Lundin, J. M. D., Kahle, E. C., Horlings, A. N., Horlings, B. I., and Waddington, E. D.: The Community Firn Model (CFM) v1.0, Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 4355–4377, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-4355-2020, 2020. a
Suter, S., Laternser, M., Haeberli, W., Frauenfelder, R., and Hoelzle, M.: Cold
firn and ice of high-altitude glaciers in the Alps: measurements and
distribution modelling, J. Glaciol., 47, 85–96,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756501781832566, 2001. a, b, c
Vaughan, D. G., Comiso, J. C., Allison, I., Carrasco, J., Kaser, G., Kwok, R.,
Mote, P., Murray, T., Paul, F., Ren, J., Rignot, E., Solomina, O., Steffen,
K., and Zhang, T.: Observations: Cryosphere, in: Climate Change 2013: The
Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth
Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by:
Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor, M., Allen, S. K., Boschung,
J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., and Midgley, P. M., Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.012, 2013. a
Vionnet, V., Guyomarc'h, G., Lafaysse, M., Naaim-Bouvet, F., Giraud, G., and
Deliot, Y.: Operational implementation and evaluation of a blowing snow
scheme for avalanche hazard forecasting, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 147, 1–10,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2017.12.006, 2018. a
Wagenbach, D., Münnich, K., Schotterer, U., and Oeschger, H.: The
anthropogenic impact on snow chemistry at Colle Gnifetti, Swiss Alps, Ann.
Glaciol., 10, 183–187, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0260305500004407, 1988. a
Wagenbach, D., Bohleber, P., and Preunkert, S.: Cold, alpine ice bodies
revisited: what may we learn from their impurity and isotope content?, Geogr.
Ann. A, 94, 245–263, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2012.00461.x, 2012. a
Wilkinson, D. S. and Ashby, M. F.: Pressure sintering by power law creep, Acta
Metall. Mater., 23, 1277–1285, https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-6160(75)90136-4, 1975. a
Wortmann, M., Bolch, T., Su, B., and Krysanova, V.: An efficient representation
of glacier dynamics in a semi-distributed hydrological model to bridge
glacier and river catchment scales, J. Hydrol., 573, 136–152,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.03.006, 2019. a, b, c
Short summary
Climate changes require a dynamic description of glaciers in hydrological models. In this study we focus on the local modelling of snow and firn. We tested our model at the site of Colle Gnifetti, 4400–4550 m a.s.l. The model shows that wind erodes all the precipitation of the cold months, while snow is in part conserved between April and September since higher temperatures protect snow from erosion. We also compared modelled and observed firn density, obtaining a satisfying agreement.
Climate changes require a dynamic description of glaciers in hydrological models. In this study...
