The importance of cloud properties when assessing surface melting in an offline-coupled firn model over Ross Ice shelf, West Antarctica

Hansen, Nicolaj; Orr, Andrew; Zou, Xun; Boberg, Fredrik; Bracegirdle, Thomas J.; Gilbert, Ella; Langen, Peter L.; Lazzara, Matthew A.; Mottram, Ruth; Phillips, Tony; Price, Ruth; Simonsen, Sebastian B.; Webster, Stuart

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2897-2024

Articles | Volume 18, issue 6

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2897-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2897-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 18, issue 6

Research article

|

21 Jun 2024

Research article |

| 21 Jun 2024

The importance of cloud properties when assessing surface melting in an offline-coupled firn model over Ross Ice shelf, West Antarctica

Nicolaj Hansen, Andrew Orr, Xun Zou, Fredrik Boberg, Thomas J. Bracegirdle, Ella Gilbert, Peter L. Langen, Matthew A. Lazzara, Ruth Mottram, Tony Phillips, Ruth Price, Sebastian B. Simonsen, and Stuart Webster

Data sets

Model data from HIRHAM5, MetUM and the SMB model Nicolaj Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8355571

Antarctic daily surface melt data estimated from SMMR, SSM/I, and SSMIS passive microwave observations, 1978-2016 J. Nicolas https://doi.org/10.5285/ffd24dd7-e201-4a02-923f-038680bf7bb5

Sabrina Automatic Weather Station, 2016 quality-controlled observational data Antarctic Meteorological Research and Data Center https://doi.org/10.48567/y3s5-3864

Elaine Automatic Weather Station, 2016 quality-controlled observational data Antarctic Meteorological Research and Data Center https://doi.org/10.48567/tytb-dk68

Marilyn Automatic Weather Station, 2016 quality-controlled observational data Antarctic Meteorological Research and Data Center https://doi.org/10.48567/kxn6-6246

Schwerdtfeger Automatic Weather Station, 2016 quality-controlled observational data Antarctic Meteorological Research and Data Center https://doi.org/10.48567/96v9-mz68

MODIS atmosphere L2 cloud product (06_L2), NASA MODIS Adaptive Processing System S. Platnick et al. https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dataprod/mod06.php

CERES_SYN1deg_Ed4A Data Quality Summary (4/8/2021) CERES https://ceres-tool.larc.nasa.gov/ord-tool/jsp/SYN1degEd41Selection.jsp

CALIPSO Infrared Imaging Radiometer (IIR) Level 2 Swath, V4-51 NASA/LARC/SD/ASDC https://doi.org/10.5067/IIR/CALIPSO/CAL_IIR_L2_Swath-Standard-V4-51

Short summary

We investigated a melt event over the Ross Ice Shelf. We use regional climate models and a firn model to simulate the melt and compare the results with satellite data. We find that the firn model aligned well with observed melt days in certain parts of the ice shelf. The firn model had challenges accurately simulating the melt extent in the western sector. We identified potential reasons for these discrepancies, pointing to limitations in the models related to representing the cloud properties.