Articles | Volume 16, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4379-2022
© 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-16-4379-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
19 Oct 2022
Research article |
| 19 Oct 2022
| 19 Oct 2022
In situ measurements of meltwater flow through snow and firn in the accumulation zone of the SW Greenland Ice Sheet
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Horst Machguth
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Andrew Tedstone
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Nicolas Jullien
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
Nander Wever
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Rolf Weingartner
Institute of Geography and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Ole Roessler
Institute of Geography and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
now at: German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Koblenz, Germany
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Cited
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- A comparison of supraglacial meltwater features throughout contrasting melt seasons: southwest Greenland E. Glen et al. 10.5194/tc-19-1047-2025
- Modelling lateral meltwater flow and superimposed ice formation atop Greenland's near-surface ice slabs N. Clerx et al. 10.1017/jog.2024.69
- Review article: Melt-affected ice cores for polar research in a warming world D. Moser et al. 10.5194/tc-18-2691-2024
- Ongoing firn warming at Eclipse Icefield, Yukon, indicates potential widespread meltwater percolation and retention in firn pack across the St. Elias Range I. Kindstedt et al. 10.5194/tc-19-3655-2025
- Firn on ice sheets C. Amory et al. 10.1038/s43017-023-00507-9
- Concurrent superimposed ice formation and meltwater runoff on Greenland’s ice slabs A. Tedstone et al. 10.1038/s41467-025-59237-9
- A Thermodynamic Nonequilibrium Model for Preferential Infiltration and Refreezing of Melt in Snow A. Moure et al. 10.1029/2022WR034035
- Firn air content changes on Antarctic ice shelves under three future warming scenarios S. Veldhuijsen et al. 10.5194/tc-18-1983-2024
- Modelling cold firn evolution at Colle Gnifetti, Swiss/Italian Alps M. Gastaldello et al. 10.5194/tc-19-2983-2025
- Pattern formation of freezing infiltration in porous media N. Jones et al. 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.123802
- Fifty years of firn evolution on Grigoriev ice cap, Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan H. Machguth et al. 10.5194/tc-18-1633-2024
- Greenland Ice Sheet Ice Slab Expansion and Thickening N. Jullien et al. 10.1029/2022GL100911
- In situ measurements of meltwater flow through snow and firn in the accumulation zone of the SW Greenland Ice Sheet N. Clerx et al. 10.5194/tc-16-4379-2022
12 citations as recorded by crossref.
- A comparison of supraglacial meltwater features throughout contrasting melt seasons: southwest Greenland E. Glen et al. 10.5194/tc-19-1047-2025
- Modelling lateral meltwater flow and superimposed ice formation atop Greenland's near-surface ice slabs N. Clerx et al. 10.1017/jog.2024.69
- Review article: Melt-affected ice cores for polar research in a warming world D. Moser et al. 10.5194/tc-18-2691-2024
- Ongoing firn warming at Eclipse Icefield, Yukon, indicates potential widespread meltwater percolation and retention in firn pack across the St. Elias Range I. Kindstedt et al. 10.5194/tc-19-3655-2025
- Firn on ice sheets C. Amory et al. 10.1038/s43017-023-00507-9
- Concurrent superimposed ice formation and meltwater runoff on Greenland’s ice slabs A. Tedstone et al. 10.1038/s41467-025-59237-9
- A Thermodynamic Nonequilibrium Model for Preferential Infiltration and Refreezing of Melt in Snow A. Moure et al. 10.1029/2022WR034035
- Firn air content changes on Antarctic ice shelves under three future warming scenarios S. Veldhuijsen et al. 10.5194/tc-18-1983-2024
- Modelling cold firn evolution at Colle Gnifetti, Swiss/Italian Alps M. Gastaldello et al. 10.5194/tc-19-2983-2025
- Pattern formation of freezing infiltration in porous media N. Jones et al. 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.123802
- Fifty years of firn evolution on Grigoriev ice cap, Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan H. Machguth et al. 10.5194/tc-18-1633-2024
- Greenland Ice Sheet Ice Slab Expansion and Thickening N. Jullien et al. 10.1029/2022GL100911
Latest update: 09 Oct 2025
Short summary
Meltwater runoff is one of the main contributors to mass loss on the Greenland Ice Sheet that influences global sea level rise. However, it remains unclear where meltwater runs off and what processes cause this. We measured the velocity of meltwater flow through snow on the ice sheet, which ranged from 0.17–12.8 m h−1 for vertical percolation and from 1.3–15.1 m h−1 for lateral flow. This is an important step towards understanding where, when and why meltwater runoff occurs on the ice sheet.
Meltwater runoff is one of the main contributors to mass loss on the Greenland Ice Sheet that...
