The Cryosphere
The Cryosphere
TC
Articles | Volume 20, issue 9
Articles | Volume 20, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-5181-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-5181-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 20, issue 9
Research article
 | 
16 Sep 2026
Research article |  | 16 Sep 2026

Characteristics of glacier surface weathering crust and light-absorbing particles, and their combined impact on glacier albedo at the Potanin Glacier, Mongolia

Akiko Sakai, Kino Kobayashi, Masato Ono, Sayako Ueda, Sho Ohata, Akira Watanabe, Kazuo Osada, Nozomu Takeuchi, Prevdagva Khalzan, Sumito Matoba, Tomonori Tanikawa, and Teruo Aoki

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Short summary
Glacier ice surfaces appear dark due to many light-absorbing particles (LAPs), such as mineral dust, microbial organic matter, and black carbon. In contrast, the development of a weathering crust on bare ice brightens the surface by increasing albedo. Field studies on the Potanin Glacier, Mongolia, defined a low-density surface layer as weathering granular ice. Broad-band albedo increased with this layer’s thickness but decreased with organic matter. High LAP amounts hindered crust growth.
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