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
Related authors
No articles found.
Horst Machguth, Anja Eichler, Margit Schwikowski, Sabina Brütsch, Enrico Mattea, Sanislav Kutuzov, Martin Heule, Rykul Usubaliev, Sultan Belekov, Vladimir N. Mikhalenko, Martin Hoelzle, and Marlene Kronenberg
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2722, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2722, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In 2018 we drilled an 18 m ice core on the summit of Grigoriev Ice Cap, located in the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The core analysis reveals strong melting since the early 2000s. Regardless of this, we find that structure and temperature of the ice have changed little since the 1980s. The cause of this apparent stability is (i) an increase in snowfall and (ii) that meltwater nowadays leaves the glacier and thereby removes substantial amounts of so-called latent heat.
Anja Rutishauser, Kirk Michael Scanlan, Baptiste Vandecrux, Nanna B. Karlsson, Nicolas Jullien, Andreas Peter Ahlstrøm, Robert S. Fausto, and Penelope How
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2385, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2385, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Greenland Ice sheet interior is covered by a layer of firn, which is important for surface meltwater runoff and contributions to global sea-level rise. Here, we combine airborne radar sounding and laser altimetry measurements to delineate vertically homogeneous and heterogeneous firn. Our results reveal changes in firn between 2011–2019, aligning well with known climatic events. This approach can be used to outline firn areas primed for significantly changing future meltwater runoff.
Timo Schmid, Valentina Radić, Andrew Tedstone, James M. Lea, Stephen Brough, and Mauro Hermann
The Cryosphere, 17, 3933–3954, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3933-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3933-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Greenland Ice Sheet contributes strongly to sea level rise in the warming climate. One process that can affect the ice sheet's mass balance is short-term ice speed-up events. These can be caused by high melting or rainfall as the water flows underneath the glacier and allows for faster sliding. In this study we found three main weather patterns that cause such ice speed-up events on the Russell Glacier in southwest Greenland and analyzed how they induce local melting and ice accelerations.
Eric Keenan, Nander Wever, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, and Brooke Medley
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 3203–3219, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-3203-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-3203-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ice sheets gain mass via snowfall. However, snowfall is redistributed by the wind, resulting in accumulation differences of up to a factor of 5 over distances as short as 5 km. These differences complicate estimates of ice sheet contribution to sea level rise. For this reason, we have developed a new model for estimating wind-driven snow redistribution on ice sheets. We show that, over Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica, the model improves estimates of snow accumulation variability.
Megan Thompson-Munson, Nander Wever, C. Max Stevens, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, and Brooke Medley
The Cryosphere, 17, 2185–2209, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2185-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2185-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
To better understand the Greenland Ice Sheet’s firn layer and its ability to buffer sea level rise by storing meltwater, we analyze firn density observations and output from two firn models. We find that both models, one physics-based and one semi-empirical, simulate realistic density and firn air content when compared to observations. The models differ in their representation of firn air content, highlighting the uncertainty in physical processes and the paucity of deep-firn measurements.
Michelle L. Maclennan, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Christine A. Shields, Andrew O. Hoffman, Nander Wever, Megan Thompson-Munson, Andrew C. Winters, Erin C. Pettit, Theodore A. Scambos, and Jonathan D. Wille
The Cryosphere, 17, 865–881, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-865-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-865-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric rivers are air masses that transport large amounts of moisture and heat towards the poles. Here, we use a combination of weather observations and models to quantify the amount of snowfall caused by atmospheric rivers in West Antarctica which is about 10 % of the total snowfall each year. We then examine a unique event that occurred in early February 2020, when three atmospheric rivers made landfall over West Antarctica in rapid succession, leading to heavy snowfall and surface melt.
Marlene Kronenberg, Ward van Pelt, Horst Machguth, Joel Fiddes, Martin Hoelzle, and Felix Pertziger
The Cryosphere, 16, 5001–5022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5001-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5001-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Pamir Alay is located at the edge of regions with anomalous glacier mass changes. Unique long-term in situ data are available for Abramov Glacier, located in the Pamir Alay. In this study, we use this extraordinary data set in combination with reanalysis data and a coupled surface energy balance–multilayer subsurface model to compute and analyse the distributed climatic mass balance and firn evolution from 1968 to 2020.
Daniel Viviroli, Anna E. Sikorska-Senoner, Guillaume Evin, Maria Staudinger, Martina Kauzlaric, Jérémy Chardon, Anne-Catherine Favre, Benoit Hingray, Gilles Nicolet, Damien Raynaud, Jan Seibert, Rolf Weingartner, and Calvin Whealton
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 2891–2920, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-2891-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-2891-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Estimating the magnitude of rare to very rare floods is a challenging task due to a lack of sufficiently long observations. The challenge is even greater in large river basins, where precipitation patterns and amounts differ considerably between individual events and floods from different parts of the basin coincide. We show that a hydrometeorological model chain can provide plausible estimates in this setting and can thus inform flood risk and safety assessments for critical infrastructure.
Adrien Michel, Bettina Schaefli, Nander Wever, Harry Zekollari, Michael Lehning, and Hendrik Huwald
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 1063–1087, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1063-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1063-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents an extensive study of climate change impacts on river temperature in Switzerland. Results show that, even for low-emission scenarios, water temperature increase will lead to adverse effects for both ecosystems and socio-economic sectors throughout the 21st century. For high-emission scenarios, the effect will worsen. This study also shows that water seasonal warming will be different between the Alpine regions and the lowlands. Finally, efficiency of models is assessed.
Philipp Wanner, Noemi Buri, Kevin Wyss, Andreas Zischg, Rolf Weingartner, Jan Baumgartner, Benjamin Berger, and Christoph Wanner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2021-512, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2021-512, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we quantified the glacial meltwater contribution to mountainous streams using high-resolution stable water isotope analysis. The glacial meltwater made up almost 28 % of the annual mountainous stream discharges. This high contribution demonstrates that the mountainous streamflow regimes will change in the future when the glacial meltwater contribution will disappear due to global warming posing a major challenge for hydropower energy production in mountainous regions.
Enrico Mattea, Horst Machguth, Marlene Kronenberg, Ward van Pelt, Manuela Bassi, and Martin Hoelzle
The Cryosphere, 15, 3181–3205, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3181-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In our study we find that climate change is affecting the high-alpine Colle Gnifetti glacier (Swiss–Italian Alps) with an increase in melt amounts and ice temperatures.
In the near future this trend could threaten the viability of the oldest ice core record in the Alps.
To reach our conclusions, for the first time we used the meteorological data of the highest permanent weather station in Europe (Capanna Margherita, 4560 m), together with an advanced numeric simulation of the glacier.
Devon Dunmire, Alison F. Banwell, Nander Wever, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, and Rajashree Tri Datta
The Cryosphere, 15, 2983–3005, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2983-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2983-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Here, we automatically detect buried lakes (meltwater lakes buried below layers of snow) across the Greenland Ice Sheet, providing insight into a poorly studied meltwater feature. For 2018 and 2019, we compare areal extent of buried lakes. We find greater buried lake extent in 2019, especially in northern Greenland, which we attribute to late-summer surface melt and high autumn temperatures. We also provide evidence that buried lakes form via different processes across Greenland.
Regula Muelchi, Ole Rössler, Jan Schwanbeck, Rolf Weingartner, and Olivia Martius
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 3577–3594, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3577-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3577-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyses changes in magnitude, frequency, and seasonality of moderate low and high flows for 93 catchments in Switzerland. In lower-lying catchments (below 1500 m a.s.l.), moderate low-flow magnitude (frequency) will decrease (increase). In Alpine catchments (above 1500 m a.s.l.), moderate low-flow magnitude (frequency) will increase (decrease). Moderate high flows tend to occur more frequent, and their magnitude increases in most catchments except some Alpine catchments.
Regula Muelchi, Ole Rössler, Jan Schwanbeck, Rolf Weingartner, and Olivia Martius
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 3071–3086, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3071-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3071-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Runoff regimes in Switzerland will change significantly under climate change. Projected changes are strongly elevation dependent with earlier time of emergence and stronger changes in high-elevation catchments where snowmelt and glacier melt play an important role. The magnitude of change and the climate model agreement on the sign increase with increasing global mean temperatures and stronger emission scenarios. This amplification highlights the importance of climate change mitigation.
Eric Keenan, Nander Wever, Marissa Dattler, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Brooke Medley, Peter Kuipers Munneke, and Carleen Reijmer
The Cryosphere, 15, 1065–1085, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1065-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1065-2021, 2021
Short summary
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.
J. Melchior van Wessem, Christian R. Steger, Nander Wever, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 15, 695–714, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-695-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-695-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents the first modelled estimates of perennial firn aquifers (PFAs) in Antarctica. PFAs are subsurface meltwater bodies that do not refreeze in winter due to the isolating effects of the snow they are buried underneath. They were first identified in Greenland, but conditions for their existence are also present in the Antarctic Peninsula. These PFAs can have important effects on meltwater retention, ice shelf stability, and, consequently, sea level rise.
Richard Essery, Hyungjun Kim, Libo Wang, Paul Bartlett, Aaron Boone, Claire Brutel-Vuilmet, Eleanor Burke, Matthias Cuntz, Bertrand Decharme, Emanuel Dutra, Xing Fang, Yeugeniy Gusev, Stefan Hagemann, Vanessa Haverd, Anna Kontu, Gerhard Krinner, Matthieu Lafaysse, Yves Lejeune, Thomas Marke, Danny Marks, Christoph Marty, Cecile B. Menard, Olga Nasonova, Tomoko Nitta, John Pomeroy, Gerd Schädler, Vladimir Semenov, Tatiana Smirnova, Sean Swenson, Dmitry Turkov, Nander Wever, and Hua Yuan
The Cryosphere, 14, 4687–4698, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4687-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4687-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Climate models are uncertain in predicting how warming changes snow cover. This paper compares 22 snow models with the same meteorological inputs. Predicted trends agree with observations at four snow research sites: winter snow cover does not start later, but snow now melts earlier in spring than in the 1980s at two of the sites. Cold regions where snow can last until late summer are predicted to be particularly sensitive to warming because the snow then melts faster at warmer times of year.
Ethan Welty, Michael Zemp, Francisco Navarro, Matthias Huss, Johannes J. Fürst, Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Johannes Landmann, Horst Machguth, Kathrin Naegeli, Liss M. Andreassen, Daniel Farinotti, Huilin Li, and GlaThiDa Contributors
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 3039–3055, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3039-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3039-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Knowing the thickness of glacier ice is critical for predicting the rate of glacier loss and the myriad downstream impacts. To facilitate forecasts of future change, we have added 3 million measurements to our worldwide database of glacier thickness: 14 % of global glacier area is now within 1 km of a thickness measurement (up from 6 %). To make it easier to update and monitor the quality of our database, we have used automated tools to check and track changes to the data over time.
Baptiste Vandecrux, Ruth Mottram, Peter L. Langen, Robert S. Fausto, Martin Olesen, C. Max Stevens, Vincent Verjans, Amber Leeson, Stefan Ligtenberg, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Sergey Marchenko, Ward van Pelt, Colin R. Meyer, Sebastian B. Simonsen, Achim Heilig, Samira Samimi, Shawn Marshall, Horst Machguth, Michael MacFerrin, Masashi Niwano, Olivia Miller, Clifford I. Voss, and Jason E. Box
The Cryosphere, 14, 3785–3810, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3785-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3785-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In the vast interior of the Greenland ice sheet, snow accumulates into a thick and porous layer called firn. Each summer, the firn retains part of the meltwater generated at the surface and buffers sea-level rise. In this study, we compare nine firn models traditionally used to quantify this retention at four sites and evaluate their performance against a set of in situ observations. We highlight limitations of certain model designs and give perspectives for future model development.
Louis Quéno, Charles Fierz, Alec van Herwijnen, Dylan Longridge, and Nander Wever
The Cryosphere, 14, 3449–3464, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3449-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3449-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Deep ice layers may form in the snowpack due to preferential water flow with impacts on the snowpack mechanical, hydrological and thermodynamical properties. We studied their formation and evolution at a high-altitude alpine site, combining a comprehensive observation dataset at a daily frequency (with traditional snowpack observations, penetration resistance and radar measurements) and detailed snowpack modeling, including a new parameterization of ice formation in the 1-D SNOWPACK model.
Thore Kausch, Stef Lhermitte, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Nander Wever, Mana Inoue, Frank Pattyn, Sainan Sun, Sarah Wauthy, Jean-Louis Tison, and Willem Jan van de Berg
The Cryosphere, 14, 3367–3380, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3367-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3367-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Ice rises are elevated parts of the otherwise flat ice shelf. Here we study the impact of an Antarctic ice rise on the surrounding snow accumulation by combining field data and modeling. Our results show a clear difference in average yearly snow accumulation between the windward side, the leeward side and the peak of the ice rise due to differences in snowfall and wind erosion. This is relevant for the interpretation of ice core records, which are often drilled on the peak of an ice rise.
Nicolas Jullien, Étienne Vignon, Michael Sprenger, Franziska Aemisegger, and Alexis Berne
The Cryosphere, 14, 1685–1702, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1685-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1685-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Although snowfall is the main input of water to the Antarctic ice sheet, snowflakes are often evaporated by dry and fierce winds near the surface of the continent. The amount of snow that actually reaches the ground is therefore considerably reduced. By analyzing the position of cyclones and fronts as well as by back-tracing the atmospheric moisture pathway towards Antarctica, this study explains in which meteorological conditions snowfall is either completely evaporated or reaches the ground.
Andrew J. Tedstone, Joseph M. Cook, Christopher J. Williamson, Stefan Hofer, Jenine McCutcheon, Tristram Irvine-Fynn, Thomas Gribbin, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 14, 521–538, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-521-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-521-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Albedo describes how much light that hits a surface is reflected without being absorbed. Low-albedo ice surfaces melt more quickly. There are large differences in the albedo of bare-ice areas of the Greenland Ice Sheet. They are caused both by dark glacier algae and by the condition of the underlying ice. Changes occur over centimetres to metres, so satellites do not always detect real albedo changes. Estimates of melt made using satellite measurements therefore tend to be underestimates.
Joseph M. Cook, Andrew J. Tedstone, Christopher Williamson, Jenine McCutcheon, Andrew J. Hodson, Archana Dayal, McKenzie Skiles, Stefan Hofer, Robert Bryant, Owen McAree, Andrew McGonigle, Jonathan Ryan, Alexandre M. Anesio, Tristram D. L. Irvine-Fynn, Alun Hubbard, Edward Hanna, Mark Flanner, Sathish Mayanna, Liane G. Benning, Dirk van As, Marian Yallop, James B. McQuaid, Thomas Gribbin, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 14, 309–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-309-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-309-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is a major source of uncertainty for sea level rise projections. Ice-darkening due to the growth of algae has been recognized as a potential accelerator of melting. This paper measures and models the algae-driven ice melting and maps the algae over the ice sheet for the first time. We estimate that as much as 13 % total runoff from the south-western GrIS can be attributed to these algae, showing that they must be included in future mass balance models.
Nander Wever, Leonard Rossmann, Nina Maaß, Katherine C. Leonard, Lars Kaleschke, Marcel Nicolaus, and Michael Lehning
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 99–119, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-99-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-99-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Sea ice is an important component of the global climate system. The presence of a snow layer covering sea ice can impact ice mass and energy budgets. The detailed, physics-based, multi-layer snow model SNOWPACK was modified to simulate the snow–sea-ice system, providing simulations of the snow microstructure, water percolation and flooding, and superimposed ice formation. The model is applied to in situ measurements from snow and ice mass-balance buoys installed in the Antarctic Weddell Sea.
Alexandra T. Holland, Christopher J. Williamson, Fotis Sgouridis, Andrew J. Tedstone, Jenine McCutcheon, Joseph M. Cook, Ewa Poniecka, Marian L. Yallop, Martyn Tranter, Alexandre M. Anesio, and The Black & Bloom Group
Biogeosciences, 16, 3283–3296, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-3283-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-3283-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides a preliminary data set for dissolved nutrient abundance in the Dark Zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet. This 15-year marked darkening has since been attributed to glacier algae blooms, yet has not been accounted for in current melt rate models. We conclude that the dissolved organic phase dominates surface ice environments and that factors other than macronutrient limitation control the extent and magnitude of the glacier algae blooms.
Cécile B. Ménard, Richard Essery, Alan Barr, Paul Bartlett, Jeff Derry, Marie Dumont, Charles Fierz, Hyungjun Kim, Anna Kontu, Yves Lejeune, Danny Marks, Masashi Niwano, Mark Raleigh, Libo Wang, and Nander Wever
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 11, 865–880, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-865-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-865-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This paper describes long-term meteorological and evaluation datasets from 10 reference sites for use in snow modelling. We demonstrate how data sharing is crucial to the identification of errors and how the publication of these datasets contributes to good practice, consistency, and reproducibility in geosciences. The ease of use, availability, and quality of the datasets will help model developers quantify and reduce model uncertainties and errors.
Baptiste Vandecrux, Michael MacFerrin, Horst Machguth, William T. Colgan, Dirk van As, Achim Heilig, C. Max Stevens, Charalampos Charalampidis, Robert S. Fausto, Elizabeth M. Morris, Ellen Mosley-Thompson, Lora Koenig, Lynn N. Montgomery, Clément Miège, Sebastian B. Simonsen, Thomas Ingeman-Nielsen, and Jason E. Box
The Cryosphere, 13, 845–859, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-845-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-845-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The perennial snow, or firn, on the Greenland ice sheet each summer stores part of the meltwater formed at the surface, buffering the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level. We gathered observations of firn air content, indicative of the space available in the firn to retain meltwater, and find that this air content remained stable in cold regions of the firn over the last 65 years but recently decreased significantly in western Greenland.
Gerhard Krinner, Chris Derksen, Richard Essery, Mark Flanner, Stefan Hagemann, Martyn Clark, Alex Hall, Helmut Rott, Claire Brutel-Vuilmet, Hyungjun Kim, Cécile B. Ménard, Lawrence Mudryk, Chad Thackeray, Libo Wang, Gabriele Arduini, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Paul Bartlett, Julia Boike, Aaron Boone, Frédérique Chéruy, Jeanne Colin, Matthias Cuntz, Yongjiu Dai, Bertrand Decharme, Jeff Derry, Agnès Ducharne, Emanuel Dutra, Xing Fang, Charles Fierz, Josephine Ghattas, Yeugeniy Gusev, Vanessa Haverd, Anna Kontu, Matthieu Lafaysse, Rachel Law, Dave Lawrence, Weiping Li, Thomas Marke, Danny Marks, Martin Ménégoz, Olga Nasonova, Tomoko Nitta, Masashi Niwano, John Pomeroy, Mark S. Raleigh, Gerd Schaedler, Vladimir Semenov, Tanya G. Smirnova, Tobias Stacke, Ulrich Strasser, Sean Svenson, Dmitry Turkov, Tao Wang, Nander Wever, Hua Yuan, Wenyan Zhou, and Dan Zhu
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 5027–5049, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-5027-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-5027-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides an overview of a coordinated international experiment to determine the strengths and weaknesses in how climate models treat snow. The models will be assessed at point locations using high-quality reference measurements and globally using satellite-derived datasets. How well climate models simulate snow-related processes is important because changing snow cover is an important part of the global climate system and provides an important freshwater resource for human use.
Christian Gabriel Sommer, Nander Wever, Charles Fierz, and Michael Lehning
The Cryosphere, 12, 2923–2939, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2923-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2923-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Wind packing is how wind produces hard crusts at the surface of the snowpack. This is relevant for the local mass balance in polar regions. However, not much is known about this process and it is difficult to capture its high spatial and temporal variability. A wind-packing event was measured in Antarctica. It could be quantified how drifting snow leads to wind packing and generates barchan dunes. The documentation of these deposition dynamics is an important step in understanding polar snow.
Denis Cohen, Fabien Gillet-Chaulet, Wilfried Haeberli, Horst Machguth, and Urs H. Fischer
The Cryosphere, 12, 2515–2544, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2515-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2515-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
As part of an integrative study about the safety of repositories for radioactive waste under ice age conditions in Switzerland, we modeled the flow of ice of the Rhine glacier at the Last Glacial Maximum to determine conditions at the ice–bed interface. Results indicate that portions of the ice lobes were at the melting temperature and ice was sliding, two conditions necessary for erosion by glacier. Conditions at the bed of the ice lobes were affected by climate and also by topography.
Andreas Paul Zischg, Guido Felder, Rolf Weingartner, Niall Quinn, Gemma Coxon, Jeffrey Neal, Jim Freer, and Paul Bates
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 2759–2773, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2759-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2759-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a model experiment and distributed different rainfall patterns over a mountain river basin. For each rainfall scenario, we computed the flood losses with a model chain. The experiment shows that flood losses vary considerably within the river basin and depend on the timing of the flood peaks from the basin's sub-catchments. Basin-specific characteristics such as the location of the main settlements within the floodplains play an additional important role in determining flood losses.
Simon Schick, Ole Rössler, and Rolf Weingartner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 929–942, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-929-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-929-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Forecasting at the seasonal timescale aims to answer questions such as the following: how much water do we have next summer? Is next winter going to be extremely cold? Constrained by computer power, earth system models (ESMs) do not resolve all environmental variables of interest. Our study tests a method to refine the output of such an ESM for streamflow forecasting in the Rhine basin. The results show that the method is able to translate skill at different spatial scales.
Joseph M. Cook, Andrew J. Hodson, Alex S. Gardner, Mark Flanner, Andrew J. Tedstone, Christopher Williamson, Tristram D. L. Irvine-Fynn, Johan Nilsson, Robert Bryant, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 11, 2611–2632, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2611-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2611-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Biological growth darkens snow and ice, causing it to melt faster. This is often referred to as
bioalbedo. Quantifying bioalbedo has not been achieved because of difficulties in isolating the biological contribution from the optical properties of ice and snow, and from inorganic impurities in field studies. In this paper, we provide a physical model that enables bioalbedo to be quantified from first principles and we use it to guide future field studies.
Andrew J. Tedstone, Jonathan L. Bamber, Joseph M. Cook, Christopher J. Williamson, Xavier Fettweis, Andrew J. Hodson, and Martyn Tranter
The Cryosphere, 11, 2491–2506, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2491-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2491-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The bare ice albedo of the south-west Greenland ice sheet varies dramatically between years. The reasons are unclear but likely involve darkening by inorganic particulates, cryoconite and ice algae. We use satellite imagery to examine dark ice dynamics and climate model outputs to find likely climatological controls. Outcropping particulates can explain the spatial extent of dark ice, but the darkening itself is likely due to ice algae growth controlled by meltwater and light availability.
Vassiliy Kapitsa, Maria Shahgedanova, Horst Machguth, Igor Severskiy, and Akhmetkal Medeu
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1837–1856, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1837-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1837-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Changes in lake count and area in the region of Djungarskiy Alatau were assessed, showing that both increased by 6 % in 2002–2014 due to glacier melt. A total of 50 lakes were identified as potentially dangerous. GlabTop2 was used to simulate location and size of overdeepenings in the subglacier beds which present sites where lakes can develop in the future. The model predicted 67 % of lakes would form in the area de-glacierized in 2002–2014, correctly proving a useful tool in hazard management.
Martin Hoelzle, Erlan Azisov, Martina Barandun, Matthias Huss, Daniel Farinotti, Abror Gafurov, Wilfried Hagg, Ruslan Kenzhebaev, Marlene Kronenberg, Horst Machguth, Alexandr Merkushkin, Bolot Moldobekov, Maxim Petrov, Tomas Saks, Nadine Salzmann, Tilo Schöne, Yuri Tarasov, Ryskul Usubaliev, Sergiy Vorogushyn, Andrey Yakovlev, and Michael Zemp
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 6, 397–418, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-6-397-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-6-397-2017, 2017
Daniel B. Bernet, Volker Prasuhn, and Rolf Weingartner
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1659–1682, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1659-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1659-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
To quantify the relevance of surface water floods in Switzerland, we introduce and analyze an exhaustive set of insurance flood damage claims. First, we present a method to classify such claims and then we analyze the classified data with respect to space and time. The results reveal that just as fluvial floods are responsible for vast damage in Switzerland, so too are surface water floods. Accordingly, surface water floods should receive similar attention like fluvial floods.
Xavier Fettweis, Jason E. Box, Cécile Agosta, Charles Amory, Christoph Kittel, Charlotte Lang, Dirk van As, Horst Machguth, and Hubert Gallée
The Cryosphere, 11, 1015–1033, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1015-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1015-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
This paper shows that the surface melt increase over the Greenland ice sheet since the end of the 1990s has been unprecedented, with respect to the last 120 years, using a regional climate model. These simulations also suggest an increase of the snowfall accumulation through the last century before a surface mass decrease in the 2000s. Such a mass gain could have impacted the ice sheet's dynamic stability and could explain the recent observed increase of the glaciers' velocity.
Daniel Farinotti, Douglas J. Brinkerhoff, Garry K. C. Clarke, Johannes J. Fürst, Holger Frey, Prateek Gantayat, Fabien Gillet-Chaulet, Claire Girard, Matthias Huss, Paul W. Leclercq, Andreas Linsbauer, Horst Machguth, Carlos Martin, Fabien Maussion, Mathieu Morlighem, Cyrille Mosbeux, Ankur Pandit, Andrea Portmann, Antoine Rabatel, RAAJ Ramsankaran, Thomas J. Reerink, Olivier Sanchez, Peter A. Stentoft, Sangita Singh Kumari, Ward J. J. van Pelt, Brian Anderson, Toby Benham, Daniel Binder, Julian A. Dowdeswell, Andrea Fischer, Kay Helfricht, Stanislav Kutuzov, Ivan Lavrentiev, Robert McNabb, G. Hilmar Gudmundsson, Huilin Li, and Liss M. Andreassen
The Cryosphere, 11, 949–970, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-949-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-949-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
ITMIX – the Ice Thickness Models Intercomparison eXperiment – was the first coordinated performance assessment for models inferring glacier ice thickness from surface characteristics. Considering 17 different models and 21 different test cases, we show that although solutions of individual models can differ considerably, an ensemble average can yield uncertainties in the order of 10 ± 24 % the mean ice thickness. Ways forward for improving such estimates are sketched.
Sebastian Würzer, Nander Wever, Roman Juras, Michael Lehning, and Tobias Jonas
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1741–1756, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1741-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1741-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We discuss a dual-domain water transport model in a physics-based snowpack model to account for preferential flow (PF) in addition to matrix flow. So far no operationally used snow model has explicitly accounted for PF. The new approach is compared to existing water transport models and validated against in situ data from sprinkling and natural rain-on-snow (ROS) events. Our work demonstrates the benefit of considering PF in modelling hourly snowpack runoff, especially during ROS conditions.
Simon Schick, Ole Rössler, and Rolf Weingartner
Proc. IAHS, 374, 159–163, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-374-159-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-374-159-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
In water resources management, planning at the seasonal time scale is confronted with large uncertainties. Key variables are often unknown or hard to forecast, e.g. precipitation of the next three months. In the present study, we try to highlight some aspects concerning the development of a model faced with these uncertainties. Using the example of statistical streamflow forecasts, the results of the study indicate that the forecast accuracy is improved by the combination of several models.
Brice Noël, Willem Jan van de Berg, Horst Machguth, Stef Lhermitte, Ian Howat, Xavier Fettweis, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 10, 2361–2377, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2361-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2361-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We present a 1 km resolution data set (1958–2015) of daily Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance (SMB), statistically downscaled from the data of RACMO2.3 at 11 km using elevation dependence, precipitation and bare ice albedo corrections. The data set resolves Greenland narrow ablation zones and local outlet glaciers, and shows more realistic SMB patterns, owing to enhanced runoff at the ice sheet margins. An evaluation of the product against SMB measurements shows improved agreement.
P. Froidevaux, J. Schwanbeck, R. Weingartner, C. Chevalier, and O. Martius
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3903–3924, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3903-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3903-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate precipitation characteristics prior to 4000 annual floods in Switzerland since 1961. The floods were preceded by heavy precipitation, but in most catchments extreme precipitation occurred only during the last 3 days prior to the flood events. Precipitation sums for earlier time periods (like e.g. 4-14 days prior to floods) were mostly average and do not correlate with the return period of the floods.
M. Schaefer, H. Machguth, M. Falvey, G. Casassa, and E. Rignot
The Cryosphere, 9, 25–35, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-25-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-25-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We use a meteorological-glaciological multi-model approach to quantify, for the first time, melt and accumulation of snow on the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI). We were able to reproduce the high measured accumulation of snow of up to 15.4 m water equivalent per year as well as the high measured ablation of up to 11 m water equivalent per year. Mass losses of the SPI due to calving of icebergs strongly increased from 1975-2000 to 2000-2011 and were higher than losses due to surface melt.
H. Frey, H. Machguth, M. Huss, C. Huggel, S. Bajracharya, T. Bolch, A. Kulkarni, A. Linsbauer, N. Salzmann, and M. Stoffel
The Cryosphere, 8, 2313–2333, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2313-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2313-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
Existing methods (area–volume relations, a slope-dependent volume estimation method, and two ice-thickness distribution models) are used to estimate the ice reserves stored in Himalayan–Karakoram glaciers. Resulting volumes range from 2955–4737km³. Results from the ice-thickness distribution models agree well with local measurements; volume estimates from area-related relations exceed the estimates from the other approaches. Evidence on the effect of the selected method on results is provided.
O. Rössler, P. Froidevaux, U. Börst, R. Rickli, O. Martius, and R. Weingartner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 2265–2285, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2265-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2265-2014, 2014
R. Weingartner, B. Schädler, and P. Hänggi
Geogr. Helv., 68, 239–248, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-68-239-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-68-239-2013, 2013
D. Finger, A. Hugentobler, M. Huss, A. Voinesco, H. Wernli, D. Fischer, E. Weber, P.-Y. Jeannin, M. Kauzlaric, A. Wirz, T. Vennemann, F. Hüsler, B. Schädler, and R. Weingartner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 3261–3277, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-3261-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-3261-2013, 2013
M. H. Mueller, R. Weingartner, and C. Alewell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1661–1679, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1661-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1661-2013, 2013
N. Köplin, B. Schädler, D. Viviroli, and R. Weingartner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 619–635, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-619-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-619-2013, 2013
P. Rastner, T. Bolch, N. Mölg, H. Machguth, R. Le Bris, and F. Paul
The Cryosphere, 6, 1483–1495, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1483-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1483-2012, 2012
Related subject area
Discipline: Ice sheets | Subject: Glacier Hydrology
Observed and modeled moulin heads in the Pâkitsoq region of Greenland suggest subglacial channel network effects
Evaluation of satellite methods for estimating supraglacial lake depth in southwest Greenland
Controls on Greenland moulin geometry and evolution from the Moulin Shape model
Supraglacial streamflow and meteorological drivers from southwest Greenland
Hourly surface meltwater routing for a Greenlandic supraglacial catchment across hillslopes and through a dense topological channel network
Challenges in predicting Greenland supraglacial lake drainages at the regional scale
Role of discrete water recharge from supraglacial drainage systems in modeling patterns of subglacial conduits in Svalbard glaciers
A confined–unconfined aquifer model for subglacial hydrology and its application to the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream
Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf
Modelled subglacial floods and tunnel valleys control the life cycle of transitory ice streams
Celia Trunz, Kristin Poinar, Lauren C. Andrews, Matthew D. Covington, Jessica Mejia, Jason Gulley, and Victoria Siegel
The Cryosphere, 17, 5075–5094, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5075-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5075-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Models simulating water pressure variations at the bottom of glaciers must use large storage parameters to produce realistic results. Whether that storage occurs englacially (in moulins) or subglacially is a matter of debate. Here, we directly simulate moulin volume to constrain the storage there. We find it is not enough. Instead, subglacial processes, including basal melt and input from upstream moulins, must be responsible for stabilizing these water pressure fluctuations.
Laura Melling, Amber Leeson, Malcolm McMillan, Jennifer Maddalena, Jade Bowling, Emily Glen, Louise Sandberg Sørensen, Mai Winstrup, and Rasmus Lørup Arildsen
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-103, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-103, 2023
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Short summary
Short summary
Lakes on glaciers hold large volumes of water which can drain through the ice, influencing estimates of sea level rise. To estimate water volume, we must calculate lake depth. We assessed the accuracy of three satellite-based depth detection methods on a study area in western Greenland and considered the implications for quantifying the volume of water within lakes. We found that the most popular method of detecting depth on the ice sheet scale has higher uncertainty than previously assumed.
Lauren C. Andrews, Kristin Poinar, and Celia Trunz
The Cryosphere, 16, 2421–2448, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2421-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2421-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce a model for moulin geometry motivated by the wide range of sizes and shapes of explored moulins. Moulins comprise 10–14 % of the Greenland englacial–subglacial hydrologic system and act as time-varying water storage reservoirs. Moulin geometry can vary approximately 10 % daily and over 100 % seasonally. Moulin shape modulates the efficiency of the subglacial system that controls ice flow and should thus be included in hydrologic models.
Rohi Muthyala, Åsa K. Rennermalm, Sasha Z. Leidman, Matthew G. Cooper, Sarah W. Cooley, Laurence C. Smith, and Dirk van As
The Cryosphere, 16, 2245–2263, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2245-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2245-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In situ measurements of meltwater discharge through supraglacial stream networks are rare. The unprecedentedly long record of discharge captures diurnal and seasonal variability. Two major findings are (1) a change in the timing of peak discharge through the melt season that could impact meltwater delivery in the subglacial system and (2) though the primary driver of stream discharge is shortwave radiation, longwave radiation and turbulent heat fluxes play a major role during high-melt episodes.
Colin J. Gleason, Kang Yang, Dongmei Feng, Laurence C. Smith, Kai Liu, Lincoln H. Pitcher, Vena W. Chu, Matthew G. Cooper, Brandon T. Overstreet, Asa K. Rennermalm, and Jonathan C. Ryan
The Cryosphere, 15, 2315–2331, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2315-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2315-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We apply first-principle hydrology models designed for global river routing to route flows hourly through 10 000 individual supraglacial channels in Greenland. Our results uniquely show the role of process controls (network density, hillslope flow, channel friction) on routed meltwater. We also confirm earlier suggestions that large channels do not dewater overnight despite the shutdown of runoff and surface mass balance runoff being mistimed and overproducing runoff, as validated in situ.
Kristin Poinar and Lauren C. Andrews
The Cryosphere, 15, 1455–1483, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1455-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1455-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study addresses Greenland supraglacial lake drainages. We analyze ice deformation associated with lake drainages over 18 summers to assess whether
precursorstrain-rate events consistently precede lake drainages. We find that currently available remote sensing data products cannot resolve these events, and thus we cannot predict future lake drainages. Thus, future avenues for evaluating this hypothesis will require major field-based GPS or photogrammetry efforts.
Léo Decaux, Mariusz Grabiec, Dariusz Ignatiuk, and Jacek Jania
The Cryosphere, 13, 735–752, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-735-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-735-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Due to the fast melting of glaciers around the world, it is important to characterize the evolution of the meltwater circulation beneath them as it highly impacts their velocity. By using very
high-resolution satellite images and field measurements, we modelized it for two Svalbard glaciers. We determined that for most of Svalbard glaciers it is crucial to include their surface morphology to obtain a reliable model, which is not currently done. Having good models is key to predicting our future.
Sebastian Beyer, Thomas Kleiner, Vadym Aizinger, Martin Rückamp, and Angelika Humbert
The Cryosphere, 12, 3931–3947, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3931-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3931-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The evolution of subglacial channels below ice sheets is very important for the dynamics of glaciers as the water acts as a lubricant. We present a new numerical model (CUAS) that generalizes existing approaches by accounting for two different flow situations within a single porous medium layer: (1) a confined aquifer if sufficient water supply is available and (2) an unconfined aquifer, otherwise. The model is applied to artificial scenarios as well as to the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream.
Sammie Buzzard, Daniel Feltham, and Daniela Flocco
The Cryosphere, 12, 3565–3575, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Surface lakes on ice shelves can not only change the amount of solar energy the ice shelf receives, but may also play a pivotal role in sudden ice shelf collapse such as that of the Larsen B Ice Shelf in 2002.
Here we simulate current and future melting on Larsen C, Antarctica’s most northern ice shelf and one on which lakes have been observed. We find that should future lakes occur closer to the ice shelf front, they may contain sufficient meltwater to contribute to ice shelf instability.
Thomas Lelandais, Édouard Ravier, Stéphane Pochat, Olivier Bourgeois, Christopher Clark, Régis Mourgues, and Pierre Strzerzynski
The Cryosphere, 12, 2759–2772, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2759-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2759-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Scattered observations suggest that subglacial meltwater routes drive ice stream dynamics and ice sheet stability. We use a new experimental approach to reconcile such observations into a coherent story connecting ice stream life cycles with subglacial hydrology and bed erosion. Results demonstrate that subglacial flooding, drainage reorganization, and valley development can control an ice stream lifespan, thus opening new perspectives on subglacial processes controlling ice sheet instabilities.
Cited articles
Adolph, A. C. and Albert, M. R.: Gas diffusivity and permeability through the firn column at Summit, Greenland: measurements and comparison to microstructural properties, The Cryosphere, 8, 319–328, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-319-2014, 2014. a
Ahlstrøm, A., Gravesen, P., Andersen, S., van As, D., Citterio, M.,
Fausto, R., Nielsen, S., Jepsen, H., Kristensen, S., Christensen, E.,
Stenseng, L., Forsberg, R., Hanson, S., and Petersen, D.: A new programme for
monitoring the mass loss of the Greenland ice sheet, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin, 15, 61–64, https://doi.org/10.34194/geusb.v15.5045, 2008. a, b
Albert, M. R., Shultz, E. F., and Perron, F. E.: Snow and firn permeability at
Siple Dome, Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 31, 353–356,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756400781820273, 2000. a
Ambach, W.: Untersuchungen zum Energieumsatz in der Ablationszone des
Grönländischen Inlandeises, Meddelelser om Grønland, 174, 1–311,
1963. a
Ambach, W., Blumthaler, M., Eisner, H., Kirchlechner, P., Schneider, H.,
Behrens, H., Moser, H., Oerter, H., Rauert, W., and Bergman, H.:
Untersuchungen der Wassertafel am Kesselwandferner (Ötztaler Alpen) an einem
30 Meter tiefen Firnschacht, Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde und
Glazialgeologie, 14, 61–71, 1978.
Ambach, W., Blumthaler, M., and Kirchlechner, P.: Application of the Gravity
Flow Theory to the Percolation of Melt Water Through Firn, J.
Glaciol., 27, 67–75, https://doi.org/10.3189/s0022143000011230, 1981. a
Bartelt, P. and Lehning, M.: A physical SNOWPACK model for the Swiss
avalanche warning, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 35, 123–145,
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0165-232x(02)00074-5, 2002. a
Benson, C. S.: Stratigraphic Studies in the Snow and Firn of the Greenland
Ice Sheet, Research Report 70, U.S. Army Snow, Ice and Permafrost Research
Establishment, 1996.
Box, J. E., Fettweis, X., Stroeve, J. C., Tedesco, M., Hall, D. K., and Steffen, K.: Greenland ice sheet albedo feedback: thermodynamics and atmospheric drivers, The Cryosphere, 6, 821–839, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-821-2012, 2012. a
Braithwaite, R. J., Laternser, M., and Pfeffer, W. T.: Variations of
near-surface firn density in the lower accumulation area of the Greenland ice
sheet, Pâkitsoq, West Greenland, J. Glaciol., 40, 477–485,
https://doi.org/10.3189/s002214300001234x, 1994. a
Brown, J., Harper, J., Pfeffer, W. T., Humphrey, N., and Bradford, J.:
High-resolution study of layering within the percolation and soaked facies of
the Greenland ice sheet, Ann. Glaciol., 52, 35–41,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756411799096286, 2011. a
Brown, J., Bradford, J., Harper, J., Pfeffer, W. T., Humphrey, N., and
Mosley-Thompson, E.: Georadar-derived estimates of firn density in the
percolation zone, western Greenland ice sheet, J. Geophys.
Res.-Earth, 117, F01011, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011jf002089, 2012. a
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, b, c
Campbell, F. M. A., Nienow, P. W., and Purves, R. S.: Role of the supraglacial
snowpack in mediating meltwater delivery to the glacier system as inferred
from dye tracer investigations, Hydrol. Process., 20, 969–985,
https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.6115, 2006.
Carman, P. C.: Fluid flow through granular beds, Chemical Engineering Research
and Design, 75, S32–S48, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0263-8762(97)80003-2, 1937. a
Chen, X., Zhang, X., Church, J. A., Watson, C. S., King, M. A., Monselesan, D.,
Legresy, B., and Harig, C.: The increasing rate of global mean sea-level rise
during 1993–2014, Nat. Clim. Change, 7, 492–495,
https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3325, 2017. a
Christianson, K., Kohler, J., Alley, R. B., Nuth, C., and van Pelt, W. J. J.:
Dynamic perennial firn aquifer on an Arctic glacier, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 42, 1418–1426, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062806, 2015.
Clerx, N., Machguth, H., Tedstone, A., Jullien, N., Wever, N., Weingartner, R., and Roessler, O.: DATASET: In situ measurements of meltwater flow through snow and firn in the accumulation zone of the SW Greenland Ice Sheet, Zenodo [code and data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7119818, 2022. a, b
Colbeck, S. C.: Water Flow Through Snow Overlying an Impermeable Boundary,
Water Resour. Res., 10, 119–123, https://doi.org/10.1029/wr010i001p00119, 1974. a, b
Colbeck, S. C.: An overview of seasonal snow metamorphism, Rev.
Geophys., 20, 45–61, https://doi.org/10.1029/rg020i001p00045, 1982. a
Coléou, C. and Lesaffre, B.: Irreducible water saturation in snow:
experimental results in a cold laboratory, Ann. Glaciol., 26, 64–68,
https://doi.org/10.3189/1998aog26-1-64-68, 1998. a
Cox, C., Humphrey, N., and Harper, J.: Quantifying meltwater refreezing along a transect of sites on the Greenland ice sheet, The Cryosphere, 9, 691–701, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-691-2015, 2015. a
Cunningham, W. L. and Schalk, C. W.: Groundwater technical procedures of the
U.S. Geological Survey, Tech. rep., U.S. Geological Survey, 2011. a
Eiriksson, D., Whitson, M., Luce, C. H., Marshall, H. P., Bradford, J., Benner,
S. G., Black, T., Hetrick, H., and McNamara, J. P.: An evaluation of the
hydrologic relevance of lateral flow in snow at hillslope and catchment
scales, Hydrol. Process., 27, 640–654, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.9666, 2013. a
Fausto, R. S., Box, J. E., Vandecrux, B., van As, D., Steffen, K., MacFerrin,
M. J., Machguth, H., Colgan, W., Koenig, L. S., McGrath, D., Charalampidis,
C., and Braithwaite, R. J.: A Snow Density Dataset for Improving Surface
Boundary Conditions in Greenland Ice Sheet Firn Modeling, Front.
Earth Sci., 6, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2018.00051, 2018. a
Fierz, C., Armstrong, R., Durand, Y., Etchevers, P., Greene, E., McClung, D.,
Nishimura, K., Satyawali, P., and Sokratov, S.: The international classification for seasonal snow on the ground, UNESCO, IHP (International Hydrological Programme) – VII, Technical Documents in Hydrology, No. 83, IACS (International Association of Cryospheric Sciences) contribution No 1,
2009. a, b, c, d
Fountain, A. G.: The Storage of Water in, and Hydraulic Characteristics of, the
Firn of South Cascade Glacier, Washington State, U.S.A., Ann.
Glaciol., 13, 69–75, https://doi.org/10.3189/s0260305500007667, 1989. a
Fountain, A. G.: Effect of Snow and Firn Hydrology on the
Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Glacial Runoff,
Hydrol. Process., 10, 509–521,
https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1099-1085(199604)10:4<509::aid-hyp389>3.0.co;2-3, 1996. a
Fountain, A. G. and Walder, J. S.: Water flow through temperate glaciers,
Rev. Geophys., 36, 299–328, https://doi.org/10.1029/97rg03579, 1998.
Freitag, J., Dobrindt, U., and Kipfstuhl, J.: A new method for predicting
transport properties of polar firn with respect to gases on the pore-space
scale, Ann. Glaciol., 35, 538–544, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756402781816582,
2002. a
Gerdel, R. W.: The transmission of water through snow, T. Am.
Geophys. Un., 35, 475, https://doi.org/10.1029/tr035i003p00475, 1954. a
German: Sintering Theory and Practice, 1st Edn., John Wiley & Sons,
1996. a
Greuell, W. and Knap, W. H.: Remote sensing of the albedo and detection of the
slush line on the Greenland ice sheet, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 105, 15567–15576, https://doi.org/10.1029/1999jd901162, 2000. a, b
Hall, D. K., Comiso, J. C., DiGirolamo, N. E., Shuman, C. A., Box, J. E., and
Koenig, L. S.: Variability in the surface temperature and melt extent of the
Greenland ice sheet from MODIS, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40,
2114–2120, https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50240, 2013. a
Hanna, E., Mernild, S. H., Cappelen, J., and Steffen, K.: Recent warming in
Greenland in a long-term instrumental (1881–2012) climatic
context: I. Evaluation of surface air temperature records, Environ.
Res. Lett., 7, 045404, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/7/4/045404, 2012. a
Harper, J., Humphrey, N., Pfeffer, W. T., Brown, J., and Fettweis, X.:
Greenland ice-sheet contribution to sea-level rise buffered by meltwater
storage in firn, Nature, 491, 240–243, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11566, 2012. a
Hirashima, H., Avanzi, F., and Wever, N.: Wet-Snow Metamorphism Drives the
Transition From Preferential to Matrix Flow in Snow, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 46, 14548–14557, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl084152, 2019. a
Holmes, C. W.: Morphology and Hydrology of the Mint Julep Area, Southwest
Greenland, in: Project Mint Julep Investigation of Smooth Ice Areas of
the Greenland Ice Cap, 1953, Part II Special Scientific Reports, Arctic,
Desert, Tropic Information Center, Research Studies Institute, Air
University, 1955. a
How, P., Mankoff, K. D., Wright, P. J., Vandecrux, B., Ahlstrøm, A. P., and Fausto, R. S.:
AWS one boom tripod Edition 4, GEUS Dataverse [data set], https://doi.org/10.22008/FK2/IW73UU, 2022. a, b
Humphrey, N. F., Harper, J. T., and Pfeffer, W. T.: Thermal tracking of
meltwater retention in Greenland's accumulation area, J. Geophys.
Res.-Earth, 117, F01010, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011jf002083, 2012. a, b
Jordan, P.: Meltwater movement in a deep snowpack: 1. Field observations, Water
Resour. Res., 19, 971–978, https://doi.org/10.1029/wr019i004p00971, 1983.
Jordan, R., Albert, M., and Brun, E.: Snow and Climate: Physical Processes
within the snow cover and their parametrization, vol. 20, Cambridge
University Press (CUP), https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102008001612,
2008. a
Jordan, R. E., Hardy, J. P., Perron, F. E., and Fisk, D. J.: Air permeability
and capillary rise as measures of the pore structure of snow: an experimental
and theoretical study, Hydrol. Process., 13, 1733–1753,
https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1099-1085(199909)13:12/13<1733::aid-hyp863>3.0.co;2-2,
1999. a, b
Katsushima, T., Yamaguchi, S., Kumakura, T., and Sato, A.: Experimental
analysis of preferential flow in dry snowpack, Cold Reg. Sci.
Technol., 85, 206–216, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2012.09.012, 2013. a, b
Kattelmann, R.: Spatial Variability of Snow-Pack Outflow at a Site in Sierra
Nevada, U.S.A., Ann. Glaciol., 13, 124–128,
https://doi.org/10.3189/s0260305500007758, 1989. a
Kattelmann, R. and Dozier, J.: Observations of snowpack ripening in the
Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A., J. Glaciol., 45,
409–416, https://doi.org/10.3189/S002214300000126X, 1999. a
Kinar, N. J. and Pomeroy, J. W.: Measurement of the physical properties of the
snowpack, Rev. Geophys., 53, 481–544, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015rg000481,
2015.
Kobayashi, D. and Motoyama, H.: Effect of Snow Cover on Time Lag of Runoff from
a Watershed, Ann. Glaciol., 6, 123–125,
https://doi.org/10.3189/1985AoG6-1-123-125, 1985.
Koenig, L. S., Miège, C., Forster, R. R., and Brucker, L.: Initial in
situ measurements of perennial meltwater storage in the Greenland firn
aquifer, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 81–85,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2013gl058083, 2014. a
Kozeny, J.: Über kapillaire Leitung des Wassers im Boden, Sitzungsberichte der
Akademie der Wissenschaften mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, 136,
271–306, 1927. a
Kruseman, G., de Ridder, N., and Verweij, J.: Analysis and Evaluation of
Pumping Test Data, ILRI, International Institute for Land
Reclamation and Improvement, 2nd Edn., vol. 47, ISBN-10 9070754207, ISBN-13 978-9070754204, 1994.
MacFerrin, M., Machguth, H., van As, D., Charalampidis, C., Stevens, C. M.,
Heilig, A., Vandecrux, B., Langen, P. L., Mottram, R., Fettweis, X., van den
Broeke, M. R., Pfeffer, W. T., Moussavi, M. S., and Abdalati, W.: Rapid
expansion of Greenland's low-permeability ice slabs, Nature, 573, 403–407,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1550-3, 2019. a, b
Machguth, H., MacFerrin, M., van As, D., Box, J. E., Charalampidis, C.,
Colgan, W., Fausto, R. S., Meijer, H. A., Mosley-Thompson, E., and van de
Wal, R. S.: Greenland meltwater storage in firn limited by near-surface ice
formation, Nat. Clim. Change, 6, 390–393, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2899,
2016. a, b, c
Machguth, H., Tedstone, A., and Mattea, E.: Daily Variations in Western
Greenland Slush Limits, 2000 to 2021, mapped from MODIS, J.
Glaciol., https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.65, in press, 2022. a
Marchenko, S., van Pelt, W. J. J., Claremar, B., Pohjola, V., Pettersson, R.,
Machguth, H., and Reijmer, C.: Parameterizing Deep Water Percolation Improves
Subsurface Temperature Simulations by a Multilayer Firn Model, Front.
Earth Sci., 5, 1–20, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00016, 2017. a
Marsh, P. and Woo, M.-K.: Wetting front advance and freezing of meltwater
within a snow cover: 1. Observations in the Canadian Arctic, Water Resour.
Res., 20, 1853–1864, https://doi.org/10.1029/wr020i012p01853, 1984a. a
Marsh, P. and Woo, M.-K.: Wetting front advance and freezing of meltwater
within a snow cover: 2. A simulation model, Water Resour. Res., 20,
1865–1874, https://doi.org/10.1029/WR020i012p01865, 1984b. a
Marsh, P. and Woo, M.-K.: Meltwater Movement in Natural Heterogeneous Snow
Covers, Water Resour. Res., 21, 1710–1716,
https://doi.org/10.1029/wr021i011p01710, 1985. a
Martinec, J.: Meltwater percolation through an alpine snowpack, in: Avalanche
Formation, Movement and Effects, IAHS special publication, 162, 255–264, ISBN 0-947571-95-7, 1987. a
McGurk, B. J.: Five snowmelt models: a comparison of prediction accuracy. Proc. West. Snow Conf, 53rd Annual Meeting, 16–18 April 1985, Boulder, Colorado, 171–174, 1985.
McGurk, B. J. and Kattelmann, R. C.: Water flow rates, porosity and permeability in snowpacks in the central Sierra Nevada, in: Proceedings of the Symposium on Cold Regions Hydrology, edited by: Kane, D. L., 22–25 July 1986, Fairbanks, Alaska, Bethesda, MD, American Water Resources Association, AWRA Technical Publication Series TPS-86-1, 359–366, 1986.
Miller, O., Solomon, D. K., Miège, C., Koenig, L., Forster, R., Schmerr,
N., Ligtenberg, S. R. M., and Montgomery, L.: Direct Evidence of Meltwater
Flow Within a Firn Aquifer in Southeast Greenland, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 45, 207–215, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017gl075707, 2018. a
Miller, O. L., Solomon, D. K., Miège, C., Koenig, L. S., Forster, R. R.,
Montgomery, L. N., Schmerr, N., Ligtenberg, S. R. M., Legchenko, A., and
Brucker, L.: Hydraulic Conductivity of a Firn Aquifer in Southeast
Greenland, Front. Earth Sci., 5, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00038,
2017. a
Mitterer, C., Hirashima, H., and Schweizer, J.: Wet-snow instabilities:
comparison of measured and modelled liquid water content and snow
stratigraphy, Ann. Glaciol., 52, 201–208,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756411797252077, 2011. a
Mouginot, J., Rignot, E., Bjørk, A. A., van den Broeke, M., Millan, R.,
Morlighem, M., Noël, B., Scheuchl, B., and Wood, M.: Forty-six years of
Greenland Ice Sheet mass balance from 1972 to 2018, P.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 116, 9239–9244, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1904242116,
2019. a
Müller, F.: Zonation in the accumulation area of the glaciers of Axel Heiberg
Island, N.W.T., Canada, J. Glaciol., 4, 302–311,
https://doi.org/10.3189/s0022143000027623, 1962. a
Nghiem, S. V.: Mapping of ice layer extent and snow accumulation in the
percolation zone of the Greenland ice sheet, J. Geophys. Res.,
110, F02017, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004jf000234, 2005. a
Nienow, P. W., Sole, A. J., Slater, D. A., and Cowton, T. R.: Recent Advances
in Our Understanding of the Role of Meltwater in the Greenland Ice Sheet
System, Current Climate Change Reports, 3, 330–344,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40641-017-0083-9, 2017. a, b
Noël, B., van de Berg, W. J., Machguth, H., Lhermitte, S., Howat, I., Fettweis, X., and van den Broeke, M. R.: A daily, 1 km resolution data set of downscaled Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance (1958–2015), The Cryosphere, 10, 2361–2377, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2361-2016, 2016. a
Noël, B., van de Berg, W. J., van Wessem, J. M., van Meijgaard, E., van As, D., Lenaerts, J. T. M., Lhermitte, S., Kuipers Munneke, P., Smeets, C. J. P. P., van Ulft, L. H., van de Wal, R. S. W., and van den Broeke, M. R.: Modelling the climate and surface mass balance of polar ice sheets using RACMO2 – Part 1: Greenland (1958–2016), The Cryosphere, 12, 811–831, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-811-2018, 2018. a
Oerter, H. and Moser, H.: Water storage and drainage within the firn of a
temperate glacier (Vernagtferner, Oetztal Alps, Austria), in: Hydrological
Aspects of Alpine and High Mountain Areas, IAHS
Publications, vol. 182, 71–82, 1982.
Pfeffer, W. T., Meier, M. F., and Illangasekare, T. H.: Retention of Greenland
runoff by refreezing: Implications for projected future sea level change,
J. Geophys. Res., 96, 22117, https://doi.org/10.1029/91jc02502, 1991. a
Pitrak, M., Mares, S., and Kobr, M.: A Simple Borehole Dilution Technique in
Measuring Horizontal Ground Water Flow, Ground Water, 45, 89–92,
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.2006.00258.x, 2007. a
Polashenski, C., Courville, Z., Benson, C., Wagner, A., Chen, J., Wong, G.,
Hawley, R., and Hall, D.: Observations of pronounced Greenland ice sheet firn
warming and implications for runoff production, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
41, 4238–4246, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014gl059806, 2014. a
Porter, C., Morin, P., Howat, I., Noh, M.-J., Bates, B., Peterman, K., Keesey,
S., Schlenk, M., Gardiner, J., Tomko, K., Willis, M., Kelleher, C., Cloutier,
M., Husby, E., Foga, S., Nakamura, H., Platson, M., Wethington, M.,
Williamson, C., Bauer, G., Enos, J., Arnold, G., Kramer, W., Becker, P.,
Doshi, A., D’Souza, C., Cummens, P., Laurier, F., and Bojesen, M.:
“ArcticDEM”, Harvard Dataverse, V1 [data set], https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/OHHUKH, 2018. a, b, c
Probst, S.: Die Rolle des Schneezustandes bei Regen-auf-Schnee-Ereignissen,
Master's thesis, University of Bern, Publikation Gewässerkunde Nr. 659,
2016. a
Reeh, N.: Parameterization Melt Rate and Surface Temperature on the Greenland
Ice Sheet, Polarforschung, 59, 113–128, 1991. a
Rennermalm, Å. K., Hock, R., Covi, F., Xiao, J., Corti, G., Kingslake, J.,
Leidman, S. Z., Miège, C., Macferrin, M., Machguth, H., Osterberg, E.,
Kameda, T., and McConnell, J.: Shallow firn cores 1989–2019 in southwest
Greenland’s percolation zone reveal decreasing density and ice layer
thickness after 2012, J. Glaciol., 68, 431–442,
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.102, 2021. a
Richards, L. A.: Capillary Conduction of Liquids through Porous
Mediums, Physics, 1, 318–333, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1745010, 1931. a
Sasgen, I., Wouters, B., Gardner, A. S., King, M. D., Tedesco, M., Landerer,
F. W., Dahle, C., Save, H., and Fettweis, X.: Return to rapid ice loss in
Greenland and record loss in 2019 detected by the GRACE-FO satellites,
Commun. Earth Environ., 1, 8, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-020-0010-1,
2020. a
Schneider, T.: Water movement in the firn of Storglaciären, Sweden, J.
Glaciol., 45, 286–294, https://doi.org/10.3189/s0022143000001787, 1999.
Schneider, T.: Hydrological processes in the wet-snow zone of glaciers: a
review, Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde und Glazialgeologie, 36, 89–105,
2000.
Sharp, R. P.: Meltwater behavior in firn on upper Seward Glacier, – St. Elias
Mountains, Canada, in: IAHS Publications, 32, 246–253, 1952.
Shimizu, H.: Air Permeability of Deposited Snow, Contributions from the
Institute of Low Temperature Science, 1–32,
http://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/handle/2115/20234 (last access: 26 March 2007),
1970. a
Shumskii, P.: Principles of structural glaciology, Dover Publications, New
York, 1964. a
Smith, L. C., Yang, K., Pitcher, L. H., Overstreet, B. T., Chu, V. W.,
Rennermalm, Å. K., Ryan, J. C., Cooper, M. G., Gleason, C. J., Tedesco,
M., Jeyaratnam, J., van As, D., van den Broeke, M. R., van de Berg,
W. J., Noël, B., Langen, P. L., Cullather, R. I., Zhao, B., Willis, M. J.,
Hubbard, A., Box, J. E., Jenner, B. A., and Behar, A. E.: Direct measurements
of meltwater runoff on the Greenland ice sheet surface, P.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 114, E10622–E10631,
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1707743114, 2017. a
Steger, C. R., Reijmer, C. H., van den Broeke, M. R., Wever, N., Forster,
R. R., Koenig, L. S., Munneke, P. K., Lehning, M., Lhermitte, S., Ligtenberg,
S. R. M., Miège, C., and Noël, B. P. Y.: Firn Meltwater Retention
on the Greenland Ice Sheet: A Model Comparison, Fron. Earth Sci.,
5, 1–16, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00003, 2017. a, b
Tedesco, M., Fettweis, X., Mote, T., Wahr, J., Alexander, P., Box, J. E., and Wouters, B.: Evidence and analysis of 2012 Greenland records from spaceborne observations, a regional climate model and reanalysis data, The Cryosphere, 7, 615–630, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-615-2013, 2013. a, b
Tedstone, A. and Machguth, H.: Increasing surface runoff from Greenland's firn
areas, Nat. Clim. Change, 12, 672–676, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01371-z, 2022. a, b, c
The IMBIE Team: Mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2018,
Nature, 579, 233–239, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1855-2, 2019. a
Vallon, M., Petit, J.-R., and Fabre, B.: Study of an Ice Core to the Bedrock in
the Accumulation zone of an Alpine Glacier, J. Glaciol., 17,
13–28, https://doi.org/10.3189/s0022143000030677, 1976.
van Angelen, J. H., Lenaerts, J. T. M., van den Broeke, M. R., Fettweis,
X., and van Meijgaard, E.: Rapid loss of firn pore space accelerates 21st
century Greenland mass loss, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 2109–2113,
https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50490, 2013. a
van As, D., Box, J. E., and Fausto, R. S.: Challenges of Quantifying
Meltwater Retention in Snow and Firn: An Expert Elicitation, Fron.
Earth Sci., 4, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2016.00101, 2016. a
Vandecrux, B., Mottram, R., Langen, P. L., Fausto, R. S., Olesen, M., Stevens, C. M., Verjans, V., Leeson, A., Ligtenberg, S., Kuipers Munneke, P., Marchenko, S., van Pelt, W., Meyer, C. R., Simonsen, S. B., Heilig, A., Samimi, S., Marshall, S., Machguth, H., MacFerrin, M., Niwano, M., Miller, O., Voss, C. I., and Box, J. E.: The firn meltwater Retention Model Intercomparison Project (RetMIP): evaluation of nine firn models at four weather station sites on the Greenland ice sheet, The Cryosphere, 14, 3785–3810, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3785-2020, 2020. a
van den Broeke, M., Box, J., Fettweis, X., Hanna, E., Noël, B., Tedesco,
M., van As, D., van de Berg, W. J., and van Kampenhout, L.: Greenland
Ice Sheet Surface Mass Loss: Recent Developments in Observation and Modeling,
Current Climate Change Reports, 3, 345–356, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40641-017-0084-8,
2017. a
van de Wal, R., Greuell, W., van den Broeke, M., Reijmer, C., and
Oerlemans, J.: Surface mass-balance observations and automatic weather
station data along a transect near Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland, Ann.
Glaciol., 42, 311–316, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756405781812529, 2005. a
Verjans, V., Leeson, A. A., Stevens, C. M., MacFerrin, M., Noël, B., and van den Broeke, M. R.: Development of physically based liquid water schemes for Greenland firn-densification models, The Cryosphere, 13, 1819–1842, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1819-2019, 2019. a, b
Williams, M. W., Erickson, T. A., and Petrzelka, J. L.: Visualizing meltwater
flow through snow at the centimetre-to-metre scale using a snow guillotine,
Hydrol. Process., 24,
2098–2110, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7630, 2010.
a
Woo, M.-K. and Sauriol, J.: Channel Development in Snow-Filled Valleys,
Resolute, N. W. T., Canada, Geogr. Ann., 62, 37–56,
https://doi.org/10.2307/520451, 1980. a
Yamaguchi, S., Katsushima, T., Sato, A., and Kumakura, T.: Water retention
curve of snow with different grain sizes, Cold Reg. Sci.
Technol., 64, 87–93, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2010.05.008, 2010. a
Yamaguchi, S., Watanabe, K., Katsushima, T., Sato, A., and Kumakura, T.:
Dependence of the water retention curve of snow on snow characteristics,
Ann. Glaciol., 53, 6–12, https://doi.org/10.3189/2012aog61a001, 2012. a
Zaugg, T.: Experimentell-empirische und modellbasierte Analyse der Rolle des
Schneezustandes bei Regen-auf-Schnee-Ereignissen, Master's thesis,
University of Bern, Publikation Gewässerkunde Nr. 725, 2017. a
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...
