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.
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.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 16 Sep 2026
| 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
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Kino Kobayashi
Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
now at: Arctic Environment Research Center, National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Japan
Masato Ono
Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
now at: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Meguro, Japan
Sayako Ueda
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Sho Ohata
Institute for Space–Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
now at: Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Akira Watanabe
Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Kazuo Osada
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Nozomu Takeuchi
Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
Prevdagva Khalzan
Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Sumito Matoba
Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Tomonori Tanikawa
Meteorological Research Institute, Japan Meteorological Agency, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Teruo Aoki
Meteorological Research Institute, Japan Meteorological Agency, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Revised manuscript not accepted
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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.
Glacier ice surfaces appear dark due to many light-absorbing particles (LAPs), such as mineral...
