Articles | Volume 8, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2195-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2195-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
27 Nov 2014
Research article |
| 27 Nov 2014
Processes governing the mass balance of Chhota Shigri Glacier (western Himalaya, India) assessed by point-scale surface energy balance measurements
M. F. Azam
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
IRD/UJF – Grenoble I/CNRS/G-INP, LGGE – UMR5183, LTHE – UMR5564, 38402 Grenoble CEDEX, France
School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, 110067 New Delhi, India
P. Wagnon
IRD/UJF – Grenoble I/CNRS/G-INP, LGGE – UMR5183, LTHE – UMR5564, 38402 Grenoble CEDEX, France
ICIMOD, G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal
C. Vincent
UJF – Grenoble I/CNRS, LGGE – UMR5183, 38041 Grenoble CEDEX, France
AL. Ramanathan
School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, 110067 New Delhi, India
V. Favier
UJF – Grenoble I/CNRS, LGGE – UMR5183, 38041 Grenoble CEDEX, France
A. Mandal
School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, 110067 New Delhi, India
J. G. Pottakkal
School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, 110067 New Delhi, India
Related authors
Sarvagya Vatsal, Anshuman Bhardwaj, Mohd Farooq Azam, Arindan Mandal, Alagappan Ramanathan, Ishmohan Bahuguna, N. Janardhana Raju, and Sangita Singh Tomar
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-311, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-311, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers in Chandra-Bhaga Basin, western Himalaya, India have huge socio-economic importance as a large population is dependent on these glaciers for drinking and irrigation water purposes. To quantify Spatio-temporal changes in the glaciers of this basin, our study provides three major datasets. These include multidecadal glacier inventory, debris cover, and ice thickness estimates. These datasets will benefit future glacier as well as policy based studies at both local and regional scales.
Arindan Mandal, Thupstan Angchuk, Mohd Farooq Azam, Alagappan Ramanathan, Patrick Wagnon, Mohd Soheb, and Chetan Singh
The Cryosphere, 16, 3775–3799, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3775-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3775-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Snow sublimation is an important component of glacier surface mass balance; however, it is seldom studied in detail in the Himalayan region owing to data scarcity. We present an 11-year record of wintertime snow-surface energy balance and sublimation characteristics at the Chhota Shigri Glacier moraine site at 4863 m a.s.l. The estimated winter sublimation is 16 %–42 % of the winter snowfall at the study site, which signifies how sublimation is important in the Himalayan region.
F. Brun, M. Dumont, P. Wagnon, E. Berthier, M. F. Azam, J. M. Shea, P. Sirguey, A. Rabatel, and Al. Ramanathan
The Cryosphere, 9, 341–355, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-341-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-341-2015, 2015
Navaraj Pokhrel, Patrick Wagnon, Fanny Brun, Arbindra Khadka, Tom Matthews, Audrey Goutard, Dibas Shrestha, Baker Perry, and Marion Réveillet
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1760, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1760, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We studied snow processes in the accumulation area of Mera Glacier (Central Himalaya, Nepal) by deploying a cosmic ray counting sensor that allows to track the evolution of the snow water equivalent. We suspect significant surface melting, water percolation and refreezing within the snowpack, that might be missed by traditional mass balance surveys.
Marin Kneib, Amaury Dehecq, Fanny Brun, Fatima Karbou, Laurane Charrier, Silvan Leinss, Patrick Wagnon, and Fabien Maussion
The Cryosphere, 18, 2809–2830, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2809-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2809-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Avalanches are important for the mass balance of mountain glaciers, but few data exist on where and when they occur and which glaciers they affect the most. We developed an approach to map avalanches over large glaciated areas and long periods of time using satellite radar data. The application of this method to various regions in the Alps and High Mountain Asia reveals the variability of avalanches on these glaciers and provides key data to better represent these processes in glacier models.
Mohd Farooq Azam, Christian Vincent, Smriti Srivastava, Etienne Berthier, Patrick Wagnon, Himanshu Kaushik, Arif Hussain, Manoj Kumar Munda, Arindan Mandal, and Alagappan Ramanathan
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-644, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-644, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Mass balance series on Chhota Shigri Glacier has been reanalysed by combining the traditional mass balance reanalysis framework and a nonlinear model. The nonlinear model is preferred over traditional glaciological method to compute the mass balances as the former can capture the spatiotemporal variability of point mass balances from a heterogeneous in-situ point mass balance network. The nonlinear model outperforms the traditional method and agrees better with the geodetic estimates.
Fanny Brun, Owen King, Marion Réveillet, Charles Amory, Anton Planchot, Etienne Berthier, Amaury Dehecq, Tobias Bolch, Kévin Fourteau, Julien Brondex, Marie Dumont, Christoph Mayer, Silvan Leinss, Romain Hugonnet, and Patrick Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 17, 3251–3268, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3251-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3251-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The South Col Glacier is a small body of ice and snow located on the southern ridge of Mt. Everest. A recent study proposed that South Col Glacier is rapidly losing mass. In this study, we examined the glacier thickness change for the period 1984–2017 and found no thickness change. To reconcile these results, we investigate wind erosion and surface energy and mass balance and find that melt is unlikely a dominant process, contrary to previous findings.
Sarvagya Vatsal, Anshuman Bhardwaj, Mohd Farooq Azam, Arindan Mandal, Alagappan Ramanathan, Ishmohan Bahuguna, N. Janardhana Raju, and Sangita Singh Tomar
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-311, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-311, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers in Chandra-Bhaga Basin, western Himalaya, India have huge socio-economic importance as a large population is dependent on these glaciers for drinking and irrigation water purposes. To quantify Spatio-temporal changes in the glaciers of this basin, our study provides three major datasets. These include multidecadal glacier inventory, debris cover, and ice thickness estimates. These datasets will benefit future glacier as well as policy based studies at both local and regional scales.
Arindan Mandal, Thupstan Angchuk, Mohd Farooq Azam, Alagappan Ramanathan, Patrick Wagnon, Mohd Soheb, and Chetan Singh
The Cryosphere, 16, 3775–3799, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3775-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3775-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Snow sublimation is an important component of glacier surface mass balance; however, it is seldom studied in detail in the Himalayan region owing to data scarcity. We present an 11-year record of wintertime snow-surface energy balance and sublimation characteristics at the Chhota Shigri Glacier moraine site at 4863 m a.s.l. The estimated winter sublimation is 16 %–42 % of the winter snowfall at the study site, which signifies how sublimation is important in the Himalayan region.
Mohd Soheb, Alagappan Ramanathan, Anshuman Bhardwaj, Millie Coleman, Brice R. Rea, Matteo Spagnolo, Shaktiman Singh, and Lydia Sam
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 4171–4185, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4171-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4171-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study provides a multi-temporal inventory of glaciers in the Ladakh region. The study records data on 2257 glaciers (>0.5 km2) covering an area of ~7923 ± 106 km2 which is equivalent to ~89 % of the total glacierised area of the Ladakh region. It will benefit both the scientific community and the administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh, in developing efficient mitigation and adaptation strategies by improving the projections of change on timescales relevant to policymakers.
Stefan Fugger, Catriona L. Fyffe, Simone Fatichi, Evan Miles, Michael McCarthy, Thomas E. Shaw, Baohong Ding, Wei Yang, Patrick Wagnon, Walter Immerzeel, Qiao Liu, and Francesca Pellicciotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 1631–1652, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1631-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1631-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The monsoon is important for the shrinking and growing of glaciers in the Himalaya during summer. We calculate the melt of seven glaciers in the region using a complex glacier melt model and weather data. We find that monsoonal weather affects glaciers that are covered with a layer of rocky debris and glaciers without such a layer in different ways. It is important to take so-called turbulent fluxes into account. This knowledge is vital for predicting the future of the Himalayan glaciers.
Alexandra Giese, Aaron Boone, Patrick Wagnon, and Robert Hawley
The Cryosphere, 14, 1555–1577, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Rocky debris on glacier surfaces is known to affect the melt of mountain glaciers. Debris can be dry or filled to varying extents with liquid water and ice; whether debris is dry, wet, and/or icy affects how efficiently heat is conducted through debris from its surface to the ice interface. Our paper presents a new energy balance model that simulates moisture phase, evolution, and location in debris. ISBA-DEB is applied to West Changri Nup glacier in Nepal to reveal important physical processes.
Louise Mimeau, Michel Esteves, Isabella Zin, Hans-Werner Jacobi, Fanny Brun, Patrick Wagnon, Devesh Koirala, and Yves Arnaud
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3969–3996, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3969-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3969-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
In a context of climate change, the quantification of the contributions of glacier melt, snowmelt, and rain to the river streamflow is a key issue for assessing the current and future water resource availability. This study discusses the representation of the snow and glacier processes in hydrological models and its impact on the estimated flow components, and also addresses the issue of defining the glacier contribution to the river streamflow.
Alexandra Giese, Steven Arcone, Robert Hawley, Gabriel Lewis, and Patrick Wagnon
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-60, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-60, 2019
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
This manuscript defines a novel method of determining the depth of debris on a debris-covered glacier using 960 MHz Ground-Penetrating Radar, under circumstances which prevent the detection of a coherent reflection at the debris-ice interface. Our method was verified using full-scale debris-analog experiments and uses internal scattering within the debris layer. We use this method to measure debris thickness on Changri Nup Glacier, in the Nepal Himalaya.
Evan S. Miles, C. Scott Watson, Fanny Brun, Etienne Berthier, Michel Esteves, Duncan J. Quincey, Katie E. Miles, Bryn Hubbard, and Patrick Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 12, 3891–3905, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3891-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3891-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We use high-resolution satellite imagery and field visits to assess the growth and drainage of a lake on Changri Shar Glacier in the Everest region, and its impact. The lake filled and drained within 3 months, which is a shorter interval than would be detected by standard monitoring protocols, but forced re-routing of major trails in several locations. The water appears to have flowed beneath Changri Shar and Khumbu glaciers in an efficient manner, suggesting pre-existing developed flow paths.
Fanny Brun, Patrick Wagnon, Etienne Berthier, Joseph M. Shea, Walter W. Immerzeel, Philip D. A. Kraaijenbrink, Christian Vincent, Camille Reverchon, Dibas Shrestha, and Yves Arnaud
The Cryosphere, 12, 3439–3457, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3439-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3439-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
On debris-covered glaciers, steep ice cliffs experience dramatically enhanced melt compared with the surrounding debris-covered ice. Using field measurements, UAV data and submetre satellite imagery, we estimate the cliff contribution to 2 years of ablation on a debris-covered tongue in Nepal, carefully taking into account ice dynamics. While they occupy only 7 to 8 % of the tongue surface, ice cliffs contributed to 23 to 24 % of the total tongue ablation.
Ann V. Rowan, Lindsey Nicholson, Emily Collier, Duncan J. Quincey, Morgan J. Gibson, Patrick Wagnon, David R. Rounce, Sarah S. Thompson, Owen King, C. Scott Watson, Tristram D. L. Irvine-Fynn, and Neil F. Glasser
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-239, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2017-239, 2017
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Many glaciers in the Himalaya are covered with thick layers of rock debris that acts as an insulating blanket and so reduces melting of the underlying ice. Little is known about how melt beneath supraglacial debris varies across glaciers and through the monsoon season. We measured debris temperatures across three glaciers and several years to investigate seasonal trends, and found that sub-debris ice melt can be predicted using a temperature–depth relationship with surface temperature data.
Christian Vincent, Patrick Wagnon, Joseph M. Shea, Walter W. Immerzeel, Philip Kraaijenbrink, Dibas Shrestha, Alvaro Soruco, Yves Arnaud, Fanny Brun, Etienne Berthier, and Sonam Futi Sherpa
The Cryosphere, 10, 1845–1858, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1845-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1845-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Approximately 25 % of the glacierized area in the Everest region is covered by debris, yet the surface mass balance of these glaciers has not been measured directly. From terrestrial photogrammetry and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) methods, this study shows that the ablation is strongly reduced by the debris cover. The insulating effect of the debris cover has a larger effect on total mass loss than the enhanced ice ablation due to supraglacial ponds and exposed ice cliffs.
J. M. Shea, W. W. Immerzeel, P. Wagnon, C. Vincent, and S. Bajracharya
The Cryosphere, 9, 1105–1128, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1105-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1105-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
A glacier mass balance and redistribution model that integrates field observations and downscaled climate fields is developed to examine glacier sensitivity to future climate in the Everest region of Nepal. The modelled sensitivity of glaciers to future climate change is high, and glacier mass loss is sustained through the 21st century for both middle- and high-emission scenarios. Projected temperature increases will expose large glacier areas to melt and reduce snow accumulations.
F. Brun, M. Dumont, P. Wagnon, E. Berthier, M. F. Azam, J. M. Shea, P. Sirguey, A. Rabatel, and Al. Ramanathan
The Cryosphere, 9, 341–355, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-341-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-341-2015, 2015
E. Berthier, C. Vincent, E. Magnússon, Á. Þ. Gunnlaugsson, P. Pitte, E. Le Meur, M. Masiokas, L. Ruiz, F. Pálsson, J. M. C. Belart, and P. Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 8, 2275–2291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2275-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-2275-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluate the potential of Pléiades sub-meter satellite stereo imagery to derive digital elevation models (DEMs) of glaciers and their elevation changes. The vertical precision of the DEMs is ±1 m, even ±0.5m on the flat glacier tongues. Similar precision levels are obtained in accumulation areas. Comparison of a Pléiades DEM with a SPOT5 DEM reveals the strongly negative region-wide mass balances of glaciers in the Mont Blanc area (-1.04±0.23m at 1 water equivalent) during 2003-2012.
P. Wagnon, C. Vincent, Y. Arnaud, E. Berthier, E. Vuillermoz, S. Gruber, M. Ménégoz, A. Gilbert, M. Dumont, J. M. Shea, D. Stumm, and B. K. Pokhrel
The Cryosphere, 7, 1769–1786, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1769-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1769-2013, 2013
C. Vincent, Al. Ramanathan, P. Wagnon, D. P. Dobhal, A. Linda, E. Berthier, P. Sharma, Y. Arnaud, M. F. Azam, P. G. Jose, and J. Gardelle
The Cryosphere, 7, 569–582, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-569-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-569-2013, 2013
A. Rabatel, B. Francou, A. Soruco, J. Gomez, B. Cáceres, J. L. Ceballos, R. Basantes, M. Vuille, J.-E. Sicart, C. Huggel, M. Scheel, Y. Lejeune, Y. Arnaud, M. Collet, T. Condom, G. Consoli, V. Favier, V. Jomelli, R. Galarraga, P. Ginot, L. Maisincho, J. Mendoza, M. Ménégoz, E. Ramirez, P. Ribstein, W. Suarez, M. Villacis, and P. Wagnon
The Cryosphere, 7, 81–102, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-81-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-81-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Energy Balance Obs/Modelling
Brief Communication: Accurate and autonomous snow water equivalent measurements using a cosmic ray sensor on a Himalayan glacier
Surface heat fluxes at coarse blocky Murtèl rock glacier (Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps)
Modeling snowpack dynamics and surface energy budget in boreal and subarctic peatlands and forests
Evaluation of reanalysis data and dynamical downscaling for surface energy balance modeling at mountain glaciers in western Canada
Brief communication: Surface energy balance differences over Greenland between ERA5 and ERA-Interim
A computationally efficient statistically downscaled 100 m resolution Greenland product from the regional climate model MAR
Modeling of surface energy balance for Icelandic glaciers using remote-sensing albedo
Strategies for regional modeling of surface mass balance at the Monte Sarmiento Massif, Tierra del Fuego
A sensor-agnostic albedo retrieval method for realistic sea ice surfaces: model and validation
Estimating degree-day factors of snow based on energy flux components
Long-term firn and mass balance modelling for Abramov Glacier in the data-scarce Pamir Alay
The surface energy balance during foehn events at Joyce Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
Sub-seasonal variability of supraglacial ice cliff melt rates and associated processes from time-lapse photogrammetry
Understanding wind-driven melt of patchy snow cover
Understanding model spread in sea ice volume by attribution of model differences in seasonal ice growth and melt
An 11-year record of wintertime snow-surface energy balance and sublimation at 4863 m a.s.l. on the Chhota Shigri Glacier moraine (western Himalaya, India)
Sensitivity of modeled snow grain size retrievals to solar geometry, snow particle asphericity, and snowpack impurities
Metamorphism of snow on Arctic sea ice during the melt season: impact on spectral albedo and radiative fluxes through snow
Cloud forcing of surface energy balance from in situ measurements in diverse mountain glacier environments
Modelling glacier mass balance and climate sensitivity in the context of sparse observations: application to Saskatchewan Glacier, western Canada
GABLS4 intercomparison of snow models at Dome C in Antarctica
Divergence of apparent and intrinsic snow albedo over a season at a sub-alpine site with implications for remote sensing
Understanding monsoon controls on the energy and mass balance of glaciers in the Central and Eastern Himalaya
A new Stefan equation to characterize the evolution of thermokarst lake and talik geometry
SNICAR-ADv4: a physically based radiative transfer model to represent the spectral albedo of glacier ice
Convective heat transfer of spring meltwater accelerates active layer phase change in Tibet permafrost areas
Modelling surface temperature and radiation budget of snow-covered complex terrain
Impact of the melt–albedo feedback on the future evolution of the Greenland Ice Sheet with PISM-dEBM-simple
Snow model comparison to simulate snow depth evolution and sublimation at point scale in the semi-arid Andes of Chile
Brief communication: Evaluation of multiple density-dependent empirical snow conductivity relationships in East Antarctica
Sensitivity of the surface energy budget to drifting snow as simulated by MAR in coastal Adelie Land, Antarctica
Firn changes at Colle Gnifetti revealed with a high-resolution process-based physical model approach
The surface energy balance in a cold and arid permafrost environment, Ladakh, Himalayas, India
The diurnal Energy Balance Model (dEBM): a convenient surface mass balance solution for ice sheets in Earth system modeling
Spectral attenuation coefficients from measurements of light transmission in bare ice on the Greenland Ice Sheet
On the statistical properties of sea-ice lead fraction and heat fluxes in the Arctic
Effect of small-scale snow surface roughness on snow albedo and reflectance
New insights into radiative transfer within sea ice derived from autonomous optical propagation measurements
Long-term surface energy balance of the western Greenland Ice Sheet and the role of large-scale circulation variability
Seasonal and interannual variability of melt-season albedo at Haig Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains
Surface energy fluxes on Chilean glaciers: measurements and models
Using 3D turbulence-resolving simulations to understand the impact of surface properties on the energy balance of a debris-covered glacier
Incorporating moisture content in surface energy balance modeling of a debris-covered glacier
Surface melt and the importance of water flow – an analysis based on high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data for an Arctic glacier
Impact of forcing on sublimation simulations for a high mountain catchment in the semiarid Andes
Intercomparison and improvement of two-stream shortwave radiative transfer schemes in Earth system models for a unified treatment of cryospheric surfaces
Water tracks intensify surface energy and mass exchange in the Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys
Quantifying the snowmelt–albedo feedback at Neumayer Station, East Antarctica
A key factor initiating surface ablation of Arctic sea ice: earlier and increasing liquid precipitation
Brief communication: An ice surface melt scheme including the diurnal cycle of solar radiation
Navaraj Pokhrel, Patrick Wagnon, Fanny Brun, Arbindra Khadka, Tom Matthews, Audrey Goutard, Dibas Shrestha, Baker Perry, and Marion Réveillet
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1760, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1760, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We studied snow processes in the accumulation area of Mera Glacier (Central Himalaya, Nepal) by deploying a cosmic ray counting sensor that allows to track the evolution of the snow water equivalent. We suspect significant surface melting, water percolation and refreezing within the snowpack, that might be missed by traditional mass balance surveys.
Dominik Amschwand, Martin Scherler, Martin Hoelzle, Bernhard Krummenacher, Anna Haberkorn, Christian Kienholz, and Hansueli Gubler
The Cryosphere, 18, 2103–2139, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2103-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Rock glaciers are coarse-debris permafrost landforms that are comparatively climate resilient. We estimate the surface energy balance of rock glacier Murtèl (Swiss Alps) based on a large surface and sub-surface sensor array. During the thaw seasons 2021 and 2022, 90 % of the net radiation was exported via turbulent heat fluxes and only 10 % was transmitted towards the ground ice table. However, early snowmelt and droughts make these permafrost landforms vulnerable to climate warming.
Jari-Pekka Nousu, Matthieu Lafaysse, Giulia Mazzotti, Pertti Ala-aho, Hannu Marttila, Bertrand Cluzet, Mika Aurela, Annalea Lohila, Pasi Kolari, Aaron Boone, Mathieu Fructus, and Samuli Launiainen
The Cryosphere, 18, 231–263, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-231-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-231-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The snowpack has a major impact on the land surface energy budget. Accurate simulation of the snowpack energy budget is difficult, and studies that evaluate models against energy budget observations are rare. We compared predictions from well-known models with observations of energy budgets, snow depths and soil temperatures in Finland. Our study identified contrasting strengths and limitations for the models. These results can be used for choosing the right models depending on the use cases.
Christina Draeger, Valentina Radić, Rachel H. White, and Mekdes Ayalew Tessema
The Cryosphere, 18, 17–42, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-17-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-17-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Our study increases our confidence in using reanalysis data for reconstructions of past glacier melt and in using dynamical downscaling for long-term simulations from global climate models to project glacier melt. We find that the surface energy balance model, forced with reanalysis and dynamically downscaled reanalysis data, yields <10 % difference in the modeled total melt energy when compared to the same model being forced with observations at our glacier sites in western Canada.
Uta Krebs-Kanzow, Christian B. Rodehacke, and Gerrit Lohmann
The Cryosphere, 17, 5131–5136, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5131-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5131-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We compare components of the surface energy balance from two datasets, ERA5 and ERA-Interim, which can be used to estimate the surface mass balance (SMB) on the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). ERA5 differs significantly from ERA-Interim, especially in the melt regions with lower temperatures and stronger shortwave radiation. Consequently, methods that previously estimated the GrIS SMB from ERA-Interim need to be carefully recalibrated before conversion to ERA5 forcing.
Marco Tedesco, Paolo Colosio, Xavier Fettweis, and Guido Cervone
The Cryosphere, 17, 5061–5074, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5061-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5061-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a technique to improve the outputs of a model that calculates the gain and loss of Greenland and consequently its contribution to sea level rise. Our technique generates “sharper” images of the maps generated by the model to better understand and quantify where losses occur. This has implications for improving models, understanding what drives the contributions of Greenland to sea level rise, and more.
Andri Gunnarsson, Sigurdur M. Gardarsson, and Finnur Pálsson
The Cryosphere, 17, 3955–3986, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3955-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3955-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
A model was developed with the possibility of utilizing satellite-derived daily surface albedo driven by high-resolution climate data to estimate the surface energy balance (SEB) for all Icelandic glaciers for the period 2000–2021.
Franziska Temme, David Farías-Barahona, Thorsten Seehaus, Ricardo Jaña, Jorge Arigony-Neto, Inti Gonzalez, Anselm Arndt, Tobias Sauter, Christoph Schneider, and Johannes J. Fürst
The Cryosphere, 17, 2343–2365, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2343-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2343-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Calibration of surface mass balance (SMB) models on regional scales is challenging. We investigate different calibration strategies with the goal of achieving realistic simulations of the SMB in the Monte Sarmiento Massif, Tierra del Fuego. Our results show that the use of regional observations from satellite data can improve the model performance. Furthermore, we compare four melt models of different complexity to understand the benefit of increasing the processes considered in the model.
Yingzhen Zhou, Wei Li, Nan Chen, Yongzhen Fan, and Knut Stamnes
The Cryosphere, 17, 1053–1087, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1053-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1053-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We present a method to compute albedo (percentage of the light reflected) of the cryosphere surface using observations from optical satellite sensors. This method can be applied to sea ice, snow-covered ice, melt pond, open ocean, and mixtures thereof. Evaluation of the albedo values calculated using this approach demonstrated excellent agreement with observations. In addition, we have included a statistical comparison of the proposed method's results with those derived from other approaches.
Muhammad Fraz Ismail, Wolfgang Bogacki, Markus Disse, Michael Schäfer, and Lothar Kirschbauer
The Cryosphere, 17, 211–231, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-211-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-211-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Fresh water from mountainous catchments in the form of snowmelt and ice melt is of critical importance especially in the summer season for people living in these regions. In general, limited data availability is the core concern while modelling the snow and ice melt components from these mountainous catchments. This research will be helpful in selecting realistic parameter values (i.e. degree-day factor) while calibrating the temperature-index models for data-scarce regions.
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.
Marte G. Hofsteenge, Nicolas J. Cullen, Carleen H. Reijmer, Michiel van den Broeke, Marwan Katurji, and John F. Orwin
The Cryosphere, 16, 5041–5059, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5041-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5041-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), foehn winds can impact glacial meltwater production and the fragile ecosystem that depends on it. We study these dry and warm winds at Joyce Glacier and show they are caused by a different mechanism than that found for nearby valleys, demonstrating the complex interaction of large-scale winds with the mountains in the MDV. We find that foehn winds increase sublimation of ice, increase heating from the atmosphere, and increase the occurrence and rates of melt.
Marin Kneib, Evan S. Miles, Pascal Buri, Stefan Fugger, Michael McCarthy, Thomas E. Shaw, Zhao Chuanxi, Martin Truffer, Matthew J. Westoby, Wei Yang, and Francesca Pellicciotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 4701–4725, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4701-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4701-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Ice cliffs are believed to be important contributors to the melt of debris-covered glaciers, but this has rarely been quantified as the cliffs can disappear or rapidly expand within a few weeks. We used photogrammetry techniques to quantify the weekly evolution and melt of four cliffs. We found that their behaviour and melt during the monsoon is strongly controlled by supraglacial debris, streams and ponds, thus providing valuable insights on the melt and evolution of debris-covered glaciers.
Luuk D. van der Valk, Adriaan J. Teuling, Luc Girod, Norbert Pirk, Robin Stoffer, and Chiel C. van Heerwaarden
The Cryosphere, 16, 4319–4341, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4319-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4319-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Most large-scale hydrological and climate models struggle to capture the spatially highly variable wind-driven melt of patchy snow cover. In the field, we find that 60 %–80 % of the total melt is wind driven at the upwind edge of a snow patch, while it does not contribute at the downwind edge. Our idealized simulations show that the variation is due to a patch-size-independent air-temperature reduction over snow patches and also allow us to study the role of wind-driven snowmelt on larger scales.
Alex West, Edward Blockley, and Matthew Collins
The Cryosphere, 16, 4013–4032, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4013-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4013-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we explore a method of examining model differences in ice volume by looking at the seasonal ice growth and melt. We use simple physical relationships to judge how model differences in key variables affect ice growth and melt and apply these to three case study models with ice volume ranging from very thin to very thick. Results suggest that differences in snow and melt pond cover in early summer are most important in causing the sea ice differences for these models.
Arindan Mandal, Thupstan Angchuk, Mohd Farooq Azam, Alagappan Ramanathan, Patrick Wagnon, Mohd Soheb, and Chetan Singh
The Cryosphere, 16, 3775–3799, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3775-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3775-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Snow sublimation is an important component of glacier surface mass balance; however, it is seldom studied in detail in the Himalayan region owing to data scarcity. We present an 11-year record of wintertime snow-surface energy balance and sublimation characteristics at the Chhota Shigri Glacier moraine site at 4863 m a.s.l. The estimated winter sublimation is 16 %–42 % of the winter snowfall at the study site, which signifies how sublimation is important in the Himalayan region.
Zachary Fair, Mark Flanner, Adam Schneider, and S. McKenzie Skiles
The Cryosphere, 16, 3801–3814, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3801-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3801-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Snow grain size is important to determine the age and structure of snow, but it is difficult to measure. Snow grain size can be found from airborne and spaceborne observations by measuring near-infrared energy reflected from snow. In this study, we use the SNICAR radiative transfer model and a Monte Carlo model to examine how snow grain size measurements change with snow structure and solar zenith angle. We show that improved understanding of these variables improves snow grain size precision.
Gauthier Vérin, Florent Domine, Marcel Babin, Ghislain Picard, and Laurent Arnaud
The Cryosphere, 16, 3431–3449, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3431-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3431-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Snow physical properties on Arctic sea ice are monitored during the melt season. As snow grains grow, and the snowpack thickness is reduced, the surface albedo decreases. The extra absorbed energy accelerates melting. Radiative transfer modeling shows that more radiation is then transmitted to the snow–sea-ice interface. A sharp increase in transmitted radiation takes place when the snowpack thins significantly, and this coincides with the initiation of the phytoplankton bloom in the seawater.
Jonathan P. Conway, Jakob Abermann, Liss M. Andreassen, Mohd Farooq Azam, Nicolas J. Cullen, Noel Fitzpatrick, Rianne H. Giesen, Kirsty Langley, Shelley MacDonell, Thomas Mölg, Valentina Radić, Carleen H. Reijmer, and Jean-Emmanuel Sicart
The Cryosphere, 16, 3331–3356, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3331-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3331-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We used data from automatic weather stations on 16 glaciers to show how clouds influence glacier melt in different climates around the world. We found surface melt was always more frequent when it was cloudy but was not universally faster or slower than under clear-sky conditions. Also, air temperature was related to clouds in opposite ways in different climates – warmer with clouds in cold climates and vice versa. These results will help us improve how we model past and future glacier melt.
Christophe Kinnard, Olivier Larouche, Michael N. Demuth, and Brian Menounos
The Cryosphere, 16, 3071–3099, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3071-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3071-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study implements a physically based, distributed glacier mass balance model in a context of sparse direct observations. Carefully constraining model parameters with ancillary data allowed for accurately reconstructing the mass balance of Saskatchewan Glacier over a 37-year period. We show that the mass balance sensitivity to warming is dominated by increased melting and that changes in glacier albedo and air humidity are the leading causes of increased glacier melt under warming scenarios.
Patrick Le Moigne, Eric Bazile, Anning Cheng, Emanuel Dutra, John M. Edwards, William Maurel, Irina Sandu, Olivier Traullé, Etienne Vignon, Ayrton Zadra, and Weizhong Zheng
The Cryosphere, 16, 2183–2202, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2183-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2183-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This paper describes an intercomparison of snow models, of varying complexity, used for numerical weather prediction or academic research. The results show that the simplest models are, under certain conditions, able to reproduce the surface temperature just as well as the most complex models. Moreover, the diversity of surface parameters of the models has a strong impact on the temporal variability of the components of the simulated surface energy balance.
Edward H. Bair, Jeff Dozier, Charles Stern, Adam LeWinter, Karl Rittger, Alexandria Savagian, Timbo Stillinger, and Robert E. Davis
The Cryosphere, 16, 1765–1778, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1765-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1765-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding how snow and ice reflect solar radiation (albedo) is important for global climate. Using high-resolution topography, darkening from surface roughness (apparent albedo) is separated from darkening by the composition of the snow (intrinsic albedo). Intrinsic albedo is usually greater than apparent albedo, especially during melt. Such high-resolution topography is often not available; thus the use of a shade component when modeling mixtures is advised.
Stefan Fugger, Catriona L. Fyffe, Simone Fatichi, Evan Miles, Michael McCarthy, Thomas E. Shaw, Baohong Ding, Wei Yang, Patrick Wagnon, Walter Immerzeel, Qiao Liu, and Francesca Pellicciotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 1631–1652, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1631-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1631-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The monsoon is important for the shrinking and growing of glaciers in the Himalaya during summer. We calculate the melt of seven glaciers in the region using a complex glacier melt model and weather data. We find that monsoonal weather affects glaciers that are covered with a layer of rocky debris and glaciers without such a layer in different ways. It is important to take so-called turbulent fluxes into account. This knowledge is vital for predicting the future of the Himalayan glaciers.
Noriaki Ohara, Benjamin M. Jones, Andrew D. Parsekian, Kenneth M. Hinkel, Katsu Yamatani, Mikhail Kanevskiy, Rodrigo C. Rangel, Amy L. Breen, and Helena Bergstedt
The Cryosphere, 16, 1247–1264, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1247-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1247-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
New variational principle suggests that a semi-ellipsoid talik shape (3D Stefan equation) is optimum for incoming energy. However, the lake bathymetry tends to be less ellipsoidal due to the ice-rich layers near the surface. Wind wave erosion is likely responsible for the elongation of lakes, while thaw subsidence slows the wave effect and stabilizes the thermokarst lakes. The derived 3D Stefan equation was compared to the field-observed talik thickness data using geophysical methods.
Chloe A. Whicker, Mark G. Flanner, Cheng Dang, Charles S. Zender, Joseph M. Cook, and Alex S. Gardner
The Cryosphere, 16, 1197–1220, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1197-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1197-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Snow and ice surfaces are important to the global climate. Current climate models use measurements to determine the reflectivity of ice. This model uses physical properties to determine the reflectivity of snow, ice, and darkly pigmented impurities that reside within the snow and ice. Therefore, the modeled reflectivity is more accurate for snow/ice columns under varying climate conditions. This model paves the way for improvements in the portrayal of snow and ice within global climate models.
Yi Zhao, Zhuotong Nan, Hailong Ji, and Lin Zhao
The Cryosphere, 16, 825–849, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-825-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-825-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Convective heat transfer (CHT) is important in affecting thermal regimes in permafrost regions. We quantified its thermal impacts by contrasting the simulation results from three scenarios in which the Simultaneous Heat and Water model includes full, partial, and no consideration of CHT. The results show the CHT commonly happens in shallow and middle soil depths during thawing periods and has greater impacts in spring than summer. The CHT has both heating and cooling effects on the active layer.
Alvaro Robledano, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Fanny Larue, and Inès Ollivier
The Cryosphere, 16, 559–579, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-559-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-559-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Topography controls the surface temperature of snow-covered, mountainous areas. We developed a modelling chain that uses ray-tracing methods to quantify the impact of a few topographic effects on snow surface temperature at high spatial resolution. Its large spatial and temporal variations are correctly simulated over a 50 km2 area in the French Alps, and our results show that excluding a single topographic effect results in cooling (or warming) effects on the order of 1 °C.
Maria Zeitz, Ronja Reese, Johanna Beckmann, Uta Krebs-Kanzow, and Ricarda Winkelmann
The Cryosphere, 15, 5739–5764, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5739-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5739-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
With the increasing melt of the Greenland Ice Sheet, which contributes to sea level rise, the surface of the ice darkens. The dark surfaces absorb more radiation and thus experience increased melt, resulting in the melt–albedo feedback. Using a simple surface melt model, we estimate that this positive feedback contributes to an additional 60 % ice loss in a high-warming scenario and additional 90 % ice loss for moderate warming. Albedo changes are important for Greenland’s future ice loss.
Annelies Voordendag, Marion Réveillet, Shelley MacDonell, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 15, 4241–4259, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4241-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4241-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The sensitivity of two snow models (SNOWPACK and SnowModel) to various parameterizations and atmospheric forcing biases is assessed in the semi-arid Andes of Chile in winter 2017. Models show that sublimation is a main driver of ablation and that its relative contribution to total ablation is highly sensitive to the selected albedo parameterization and snow roughness length. The forcing and parameterizations are more important than the model choice, despite differences in physical complexity.
Minghu Ding, Tong Zhang, Diyi Yang, Ian Allison, Tingfeng Dou, and Cunde Xiao
The Cryosphere, 15, 4201–4206, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4201-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4201-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Measurement of snow heat conductivity is essential to establish the energy balance between the atmosphere and firn, but it is still not clear in Antarctica. Here, we used data from three automatic weather stations located in different types of climate and evaluated nine schemes that were used to calculate the effective heat diffusivity of snow. The best solution was proposed. However, no conductivity–density relationship was optimal at all sites, and the performance of each varied with depth.
Louis Le Toumelin, Charles Amory, Vincent Favier, Christoph Kittel, Stefan Hofer, Xavier Fettweis, Hubert Gallée, and Vinay Kayetha
The Cryosphere, 15, 3595–3614, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3595-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3595-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Snow is frequently eroded from the surface by the wind in Adelie Land (Antarctica) and suspended in the lower atmosphere. By performing model simulations, we show firstly that suspended snow layers interact with incoming radiation similarly to a near-surface cloud. Secondly, suspended snow modifies the atmosphere's thermodynamic structure and energy exchanges with the surface. Our results suggest snow transport by the wind should be taken into account in future model studies over the region.
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.
John Mohd Wani, Renoj J. Thayyen, Chandra Shekhar Prasad Ojha, and Stephan Gruber
The Cryosphere, 15, 2273–2293, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2273-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2273-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We study the surface energy balance from a cold-arid permafrost environment in the Indian Himalayan region. The GEOtop model was used for the modelling of surface energy balance. Our results show that the variability in the turbulent heat fluxes is similar to that reported from the seasonally frozen ground and permafrost regions of the Tibetan Plateau. Further, the low relative humidity could be playing a critical role in the surface energy balance and the permafrost processes.
Uta Krebs-Kanzow, Paul Gierz, Christian B. Rodehacke, Shan Xu, Hu Yang, and Gerrit Lohmann
The Cryosphere, 15, 2295–2313, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2295-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2295-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The surface mass balance scheme dEBM (diurnal Energy Balance Model) provides a novel, computationally inexpensive interface between the atmosphere and land ice for Earth system modeling. The dEBM is particularly suitable for Earth system modeling on multi-millennial timescales as it accounts for changes in the Earth's orbit and atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration.
Matthew G. Cooper, Laurence C. Smith, Asa K. Rennermalm, Marco Tedesco, Rohi Muthyala, Sasha Z. Leidman, Samiah E. Moustafa, and Jessica V. Fayne
The Cryosphere, 15, 1931–1953, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1931-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1931-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We measured sunlight transmitted into glacier ice to improve models of glacier ice melt and satellite measurements of glacier ice surfaces. We found that very small concentrations of impurities inside the ice increase absorption of sunlight, but the amount was small enough to enable an estimate of ice absorptivity. We confirmed earlier results that the absorption minimum is near 390 nm. We also found that a layer of highly reflective granular "white ice" near the surface reduces transmittance.
Einar Ólason, Pierre Rampal, and Véronique Dansereau
The Cryosphere, 15, 1053–1064, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1053-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1053-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We analyse the fractal properties observed in the pattern of the long, narrow openings that form in Arctic sea ice known as leads. We use statistical tools to explore the fractal properties of the lead fraction observed in satellite data and show that our sea-ice model neXtSIM displays the same behaviour. Building on this result we then show that the pattern of heat loss from ocean to atmosphere in the model displays similar fractal properties, stemming from the fractal properties of the leads.
Terhikki Manninen, Kati Anttila, Emmihenna Jääskeläinen, Aku Riihelä, Jouni Peltoniemi, Petri Räisänen, Panu Lahtinen, Niilo Siljamo, Laura Thölix, Outi Meinander, Anna Kontu, Hanne Suokanerva, Roberta Pirazzini, Juha Suomalainen, Teemu Hakala, Sanna Kaasalainen, Harri Kaartinen, Antero Kukko, Olivier Hautecoeur, and Jean-Louis Roujean
The Cryosphere, 15, 793–820, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-793-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-793-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The primary goal of this paper is to present a model of snow surface albedo (brightness) accounting for small-scale surface roughness effects. It can be combined with any volume scattering model. The results indicate that surface roughness may decrease the albedo by about 1–3 % in midwinter and even more than 10 % during the late melting season. The effect is largest for low solar zenith angle values and lower bulk snow albedo values.
Christian Katlein, Lovro Valcic, Simon Lambert-Girard, and Mario Hoppmann
The Cryosphere, 15, 183–198, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-183-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-183-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
To improve autonomous investigations of sea ice optical properties, we designed a chain of multispectral light sensors, providing autonomous in-ice light measurements. Here we describe the system and the data acquired from a first prototype deployment. We show that sideward-looking planar irradiance sensors basically measure scalar irradiance and demonstrate the use of this sensor chain to derive light transmittance and inherent optical properties of sea ice.
Baojuan Huai, Michiel R. van den Broeke, and Carleen H. Reijmer
The Cryosphere, 14, 4181–4199, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4181-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4181-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents the surface energy balance (SEB) of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) using a SEB model forced with observations from automatic weather stations (AWSs). We correlate ERA5 with AWSs to show a significant positive correlation of GrIS summer surface temperature and melt with the Greenland Blocking Index and weaker and opposite correlations with the North Atlantic Oscillation. This analysis may help explain melting patterns in the GrIS with respect to circulation anomalies.
Shawn J. Marshall and Kristina Miller
The Cryosphere, 14, 3249–3267, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3249-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3249-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Surface-albedo measurements from 2002 to 2017 from Haig Glacier in the Canadian Rockies provide no evidence of long-term trends (i.e., the glacier does not appear to be darkening), but there are large variations in albedo over the melt season and from year to year. The glacier ice is exceptionally dark in association with forest fire fallout but is effectively cleansed by meltwater or rainfall. Summer snowfall plays an important role in refreshing the glacier surface and reducing summer melt.
Marius Schaefer, Duilio Fonseca-Gallardo, David Farías-Barahona, and Gino Casassa
The Cryosphere, 14, 2545–2565, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2545-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2545-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Chile hosts glaciers in a large range of latitudes and climates. To project future ice extent, a sound quantification of the energy exchange between atmosphere and glaciers is needed. We present new data for six Chilean glaciers belonging to three glaciological zones. In the Central Andes, the main energy source for glacier melt is the incoming solar radiation, while in southern Patagonia heat provided by the mild and humid air is also important. Total melt rates are higher in Patagonia.
Pleun N. J. Bonekamp, Chiel C. van Heerwaarden, Jakob F. Steiner, and Walter W. Immerzeel
The Cryosphere, 14, 1611–1632, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1611-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1611-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Drivers controlling melt of debris-covered glaciers are largely unknown. With a 3D turbulence-resolving model the impact of surface properties of debris on micrometeorological variables and the conductive heat flux is shown. Also, we show ice cliffs are local melt hot spots and that turbulent fluxes and local heat advection amplify spatial heterogeneity on the surface.This work is important for glacier mass balance modelling and for the understanding of the evolution of debris-covered glaciers.
Alexandra Giese, Aaron Boone, Patrick Wagnon, and Robert Hawley
The Cryosphere, 14, 1555–1577, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1555-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Rocky debris on glacier surfaces is known to affect the melt of mountain glaciers. Debris can be dry or filled to varying extents with liquid water and ice; whether debris is dry, wet, and/or icy affects how efficiently heat is conducted through debris from its surface to the ice interface. Our paper presents a new energy balance model that simulates moisture phase, evolution, and location in debris. ISBA-DEB is applied to West Changri Nup glacier in Nepal to reveal important physical processes.
Eleanor A. Bash and Brian J. Moorman
The Cryosphere, 14, 549–563, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-549-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-549-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
High-resolution measurements from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery allowed for examination of glacier melt model performance in detail at Fountain Glacier. This work capitalized on distributed measurements at 10 cm resolution to look at the spatial distribution of model errors in the ablation zone. Although the model agreed with measurements on average, strong correlation was found with surface water. The results highlight the contribution of surface water flow to melt at this location.
Marion Réveillet, Shelley MacDonell, Simon Gascoin, Christophe Kinnard, Stef Lhermitte, and Nicole Schaffer
The Cryosphere, 14, 147–163, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-147-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-147-2020, 2020
Cheng Dang, Charles S. Zender, and Mark G. Flanner
The Cryosphere, 13, 2325–2343, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2325-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2325-2019, 2019
Tobias Linhardt, Joseph S. Levy, and Christoph K. Thomas
The Cryosphere, 13, 2203–2219, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2203-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2203-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents surface energy fluxes in an Antarctic polar desert in the summer season, comparing wetted soil at a water track with dominating dry soils. Elevated energy uptake, evaporation, and soil heat fluxes at the water track highlight the importance of wetted soils for water and energy cycling in polar deserts. This connection will grow more relevant, as wetted soils are expected to expand due to climate warming, with implications for landscape-scale hydrology and soil ecosystems.
Constantijn L. Jakobs, Carleen H. Reijmer, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Gert König-Langlo, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 13, 1473–1485, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1473-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1473-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We use 24 years of observations at Neumayer Station, East Antarctica, to calculate the surface energy balance and the associated surface melt, which we find to be mainly driven by the absorption of solar radiation. Meltwater can refreeze in the subsurface snow layers, thereby decreasing the surface albedo and hence allowing for more absorption of solar radiation. By implementing an albedo parameterisation, we show that this feedback accounts for a threefold increase in surface melt at Neumayer.
Tingfeng Dou, Cunde Xiao, Jiping Liu, Wei Han, Zhiheng Du, Andrew R. Mahoney, Joshua Jones, and Hajo Eicken
The Cryosphere, 13, 1233–1246, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1233-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1233-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The variability and potential trends of rain-on-snow events over Arctic sea ice and their role in sea-ice losses are poorly understood. This study demonstrates that rain-on-snow events are a critical factor in initiating the onset of surface melt over Arctic sea ice, and onset of spring rainfall over sea ice has shifted to earlier dates since the 1970s, which may have profound impacts on ice melt through feedbacks involving earlier onset of surface melt.
Uta Krebs-Kanzow, Paul Gierz, and Gerrit Lohmann
The Cryosphere, 12, 3923–3930, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3923-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3923-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new surface melt scheme for land ice. Derived from the energy balance of melting surfaces, the scheme may be particularly suitable for long ice-sheet simulations of past and future climates. It is computationally inexpensive and can be adapted to changes in the Earth's orbit and atmospheric composition. The scheme yields a better spatial representation of surface melt than common empirical schemes when applied to the Greenland Ice Sheet under present-day climate conditions.
Cited articles
Ageta, Y. and Higuchi, K.: Estimation of mass balance components of a summer-accumulation type glacier in the Nepal Himalaya, Geogr. Ann. A, 66, 249–255, 1984.
Aizen, V. B., Aizen, E. M., and Nikitin S. A.: Glacier regime on the northern slope of the Himalaya (Xixibangma glaciers), Quatern. Int., 97–98, 27–39, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1040-6182(02)00049-6, 2002.
Andreas, E. L.: A theory for the scalar roughness and the scalar transfer coefficients over snow and sea ice, Bound.-Lay. Meteorol., 38, 159–184, 1987.
Arck, M. and Scherer, D.: Problems in the determination of sensible heat flux over snow, Geogr. Ann. A, 84, 157–169, 2002.
Azam, M. F., Wagnon, P., Ramanathan, AL., Vincent, C., Sharma, P., Arnaud, Y., Linda, A., Pottakkal, J. G., Chevallier, P., Singh, V. B., and Berthier, E.: From balance to imbalance: a shift in the dynamic behaviour of Chhota Shigri Glacier (Western Himalaya, India), J. Glaciol., 58, 315–324, https://doi.org/10.3189/2012JoG11J123, 2012.
Azam, M. F., Wagnon, P., Vincent, C., Ramanathan, A. L., Linda, A., and Singh, V. B.: Reconstruction of the annual mass balance of Chhota Shigri Glacier (Western Himalaya, India) since 1969, Ann. Glaciol., 55, 69–80, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014AoG66A104, 2014.
Bahr, D. B., Dyurgerov, M., and Meier, M. F.: Sea-level rise from glaciers and ice caps: A lower bound, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L03501, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL036309, 2009.
Bintanja, R. and Van den Broeke, M. R.: The surface energy balance of Antarctic snow and blue ice, J. Appl. Meteorol., 34, 902–926, 1995.
Bintanja, R., Jonsson, S., and Knap W.: The annual cycle of the surface energy balance of Antarctic blue ice, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 1867–1881, https://doi.org/10.1029/96JD01801, 1997.
Bolch, T., Kulkarni, A., Kääb, A., Huggel, C., Paul, F., Cogley, J. G., Frey, H., Kargel, J. S., Fujita, K., Scheel, M., Bajracharya, S., and Stoffel, M.: The State and Fate of Himalayan Glaciers, Science, 336, 310–314, 2012.
Bookhagen, B. and Burbank, D. W.: Topography, relief, and TRMM-derived rainfall variations along the Himalaya, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L08405, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026037, 2006.
Bookhagen, B. and Burbank, D. W.: Toward a complete Himalayan hydrological budget: Spatiotemporal distribution of snowmelt and rainfall and their impact on river discharge, J. Geophys. Res., 115, F03019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JF001426, 2010.
Bookhagen, B., Thiede, R. C., and Strecker, M. R.: Abnormal monsoon years and their control on erosion and sediment flux in high, arid northwest Himalaya, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett, 231, 131–146, 2005.
Brutsaert, B.: Evaporation in the Atmosphere: Theory, History and Application, Kluwer Acad., Norwell, Mass, 299 pp., 1982.
Cogley, J. G.: Present and future states of Himalaya and Karakoram glaciers, Ann. Glaciol., 52, 69–73, 2011.
Denby, B. and Greuell, W.: The use of bulk and profile methods for determining surface heat fluxes in the presence of glacier winds, J. Glaciol., 46, 445–452, 2000.
Dorsey, N. E.: Properties of Ordinary Water-Substance in All Its Phases: Water-Vapor, Water, and All the Ices, Reinhold, New York, 1940.
Douville, H., Royer, J. F., and Mahfouf, J. F.: A new snow parameterization for the Météo-France climate model, Part I: Validation in standalone experiments, Clim. Dynam., 12, 21–35, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00208760, 1995.
Favier, V., Wagnon, P., Chazarin, J. P., Maisincho, L., and Coudrain, A.: One-year measurements of surface heat budget on the ablation zone of Antizana Glacier 15, Ecuadorian Andes, J. Geophys. Res., 109, D18105, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JD004359, 2004.
Favier, V., Agosta, C., Genthon, C., Arnaud, L., Trouvillez, A., and Gallée, H.: Modeling the mass and surface heat budgets in a coastal blue ice area of Adelie Land, Antarctica, J. Geophys. Res., 116, F03017, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JF001939, 2011.
Fujita, K.: Influence of precipitation seasonality on glacier mass balance and its sensitivity to climate change, Ann. Glaciol., 48, 88–92, 2008a.
Fujita, K.: Effect of precipitation seasonality on climatic sensitivity of glacier mass balance, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 276, 14–19, 2008b.
Fujita, K. and Ageta, Y.: Effect of summer accumulation on glacier mass balance on the Tibetan Plateau revealed by mass-balance model, J. Glaciol., 46, 244–252, 2000.
Gardelle, J., Berthier, E., Arnaud, Y., and Kääb, A.: Region-wide glacier mass balances over the Pamir-Karakoram-Himalaya during 1999–2011, The Cryosphere, 7, 1263–1286, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1263-2013, 2013.
Giesen, R. H., Andreassen, L. M., van den Broeke, M. R., and Oerlemans, J.: Comparison of the meteorology and surface energy balance at Storbreen and Midtdalsbreen, two glaciers in southern Norway, The Cryosphere, 3, 57–74, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-3-57-2009, 2009.
Giesen, R. H., Andreassen, L. M., Oerlemans, J., and Van den Broeke, M. R.: Surface energy balance in the ablation zone of Langfjordjøkelen, an arctic, maritime glacier in northern Norway, J. Glaciol., 60, 57–70, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG13J063, 2014.
Greuell, W. and Smeets, P.: Variations with elevation in the surface energy balance on the Pasterze (Austria), J. Geophys. Res., 106, 31717–31727, 2001.
Greuell, W., Knap, W. H., and Smeets, P. C.: Elevational changes in meteorological variables along a mid-latitude glacier during summer, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 25941–25954, 1997.
Grisogono, B. and Oerlemans, J.: Justifying the WKB approximation in pure katabatic flows, Tellus A, 54, 453–463, 2002.
Heid, T. and Kääb, A.: Repeat optical satellite images reveal widespread and long term decrease in land-terminating glacier speeds, The Cryosphere, 6, 467–478, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-467-2012, 2012.
Hock, R. and Holmgren, B.: Some aspects of energy balance and ablation of Storglaciaren, Northern Sweden, Geogr. Ann. A, 78, 121–131, 1996.
Hoinkes, H. C.: Measurements of ablation and heat balance on alpine glacier, J. Glaciol., 2, 497–501, 1953.
Immerzeel, W. W., Pellicciotti, F., and Bierkens, M. F. P.: Rising river flows throughout the twenty-first century in two Himalayan glacierized watersheds, Nat. Geosci., 6, 742–745, 2013.
Iqbal, M.: An introduction to solar radiation, Academic Press, New York, 1983.
Kääb, A., Berthier, E., Nuth, C., Gardelle, J. and Arnaud, Y.: Contrasting patterns of early 21st century glacier mass change in the Himalaya, Nature, 488, 495–498, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11324, 2012.
Kaser, G., Großhauser, M., and Marzeion, B.: Contribution potential of glaciers to water availability in different climate regimes, P. Natl. Acad. Sci., 107, 20223–20227, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1008162107, 2010.
Kayastha, R. B., Ohata, T., and Ageta, Y.: Application of mass balance model to a Himalayan glacier, J. Glaciol., 45, 559–567, 1999.
Klok, E. J. and Oerlemans, J.: Model study of the spatial distribution of the energy and mass balance of Morteratschgletscher, Switzerland, J. Glaciol., 48, 505–518, 2002.
Klok, E. J., Nolan, M., and Van den Broeke, M. R.: Analysis of meteorological data and the surface energy balance of McCall Glacier, Alaska, USA, J. Glaciol., 51, 451–461, 2005.
Koul, M. N. and Ganjoo, R. K.: Impact of inter- and intra-annual variation in weather parameters on mass balance and equilibrium line altitude of Naradu Glacier (Himachal Pradesh), NW Himalaya, India, Climatic Change, 99, 119–139, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-009-9660-9, 2010.
Kuipers Munneke, P., van den Broeke, M. R., King, J. C., Gray, T., and Reijmer, C. H.: Near-surface climate and surface energy budget of Larsen C ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, The Cryosphere, 6, 353–363, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-353-2012, 2012.
Lejeune, Y., Bertrand, J.-M., Wagnon, P., and Morin, S.: A physically based model of the year-round surface energy and mass balance of debris-covered glaciers, J. Glaciol., 59, 327–344, https://doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J149, 2013.
Li, J., Liu, S., Zhang, Y., and Shangguan, D.: Surface energy balance of Keqicar Glacier, Tianshan Mountains, China, during ablation period, Sci. Cold Arid Reg., 3, 197–205, https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1226.2011.00197, 2011.
Maussion, F., Wei, Y., Huintjes, E., Pieczonka, T., Scherer, D., Yao, T., Kang, S., Bolch, T., Buchroithner, M., and Schneider, C.: Glaciological field studies at Zhadang Glacier (5500–6095 m), Tibetan Plateau, in: Workshop on the use of automatic measuring systems on glaciers – Extended abstracts and recommendations of the IASC Workshop, edited by: Tijm-Reijmer, C. H. and Oerlemans, J., 23–26 March 2011, Pontresina, Switzerland, Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, the Netherlands, 62–68, 2011.
Maussion, F., Scherer, D., Mölg, T., Collier, E., Curio, J., and Finkelnburg, R.: Precipitation Seasonality and Variability over the Tibetan Plateau as Resolved by the High Asia Reanalysis, J. Climate, 27, 1910–1927, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00282.1, 2014.
Meesters, A. G. C. A., Bink, N. J. H., Vugts, F., Cannemeijer, F., and Henneken, E. A. C.: Turbulence observations above a smooth melting surface on the Greenland Ice Sheet, Bound.-Lay. Meteorol., 85, 81–110, 1997.
Mölg, T. and Hardy, D. R.: Ablation and associated energy balance of a horizontal glacier surface on Kilimanjaro, J. Geophys. Res., 109, 1–13, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JD004338, 2004.
Mölg, T., Cullen, N. J., and Kaser, G.: Solar radiation, cloudiness and longwave radiation over low-latitude glaciers: implications for mass-balance modelling, J. Glaciol., 55, 292–302, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214309788608822, 2009.
Mölg, T., Maussion, F., Yang, W., and Scherer, D.: The footprint of Asian monsoon dynamics in the mass and energy balance of a Tibetan glacier, The Cryosphere, 6, 1445–1461, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1445-2012, 2012.
Mölg, T., Maussion, F., and Scherer, D.: Mid-latitude westerlies as a driver of glacier variability in monsoonal High Asia, Nat. Clim. Change, 4, 68-73, 2014.
Moore, R.: On the use of bulk aerodynamic formulae over melting snow, Nord. Hydrol., 14, 193–206, 1983.
Nicholson, L. I., Prinz, R., Mölg, T., and Kaser, G.: Micrometeorological conditions and surface mass and energy fluxes on Lewis Glacier, Mt Kenya, in relation to other tropical glaciers, The Cryosphere, 7, 1205-1225, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1205-2013, 2013.
Oerlemans, J.: Analysis of a 3 year meteorological record from the ablation zone of Morteratschgletscher, Switzerland: energy and mass balance, J. Glaciol., 46, 571–579, 2000.
Oerlemans, J.: Glaciers and climate change, A. A. Balkema, The Nethrelands, 2001.
Oerlemans, J.: The Microclimate of Valley Glaciers, Igitur, Utrecht University, Utrecht Publishing & Archiving Services, the Netherlands, 138 pp., 2010.
Oerlemans, J. and Klok, E.: Energy balance of a glacier surface: analysis of automatic weather station data from Morteratschgletscher, Switzerland, Arct. Antarct. Alp. Res., 34, 477–485, 2002.
Oke, T. R.: Boundary Layer Climates, 2nd Edn., Routledge, 423 pp., 1987.
Parry, M. L., Canziani, O. F., Palutikof, J. P., van der Linden, P. J., and Hanson, C. E.: Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, New York, NY, USA, 2007.
Picard, G., Brucker, L., Fily, M., Gallée, H., and Krinner, G.: Modeling time series of microwave brightness temperature in Antarctica, J. Glaciol., 55, 537–551, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214309788816678, 2009.
Ramanathan, A. L.: Status Report on Chhota Shigri Glacier (Himachal Pradesh), Himalayan Glaciology Technical Report No. 1, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, New Delhi, 88 pp., 2011.
Reijmer, C. H. and Oerlemans, J.: Temporal and spatial variability of the surface energy balance in Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 4759–4770, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JD000110, 2002.
Shekhar, M., Chand, H., Kumar, S., Srinivasan, K., and Ganju, A.: Climate-change studies in the western Himalaya, Ann. Glaciol., 51, 105–112, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756410791386508, 2010.
Sicart, J. E., Wagnon, P., and Ribstein, P.: Atmospheric controls of the heat balance of Zongo Glacier (16° S, Bolivia), J. Geophys. Res., 110, D12106, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005732, 2005.
Sicart, J. E., Hock, R., Ribstein, P., Litt, M., and Ramirez, E.: Analysis of seasonal variations in mass balance and meltwater discharge of the tropical Zongo Glacier by application of a distributed energy balance model, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D13105, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD015105, 2011.
Smeets, C. J. P. P. and Van den Broeke, M. R.: The parameterisation of scalar transfer over rough ice surfaces, Bound.-Lay. Meteorol., 128, 339–355, 2008.
Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor, M., Allen, S. K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., and Midgley, P. M.: IPCC: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis, in: Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, 1535 pp., 2013.
Sun, W., Qin, X., Du, W., Liu, W., Liu, Y., Zhang, T., Xu, Y., Zhao, Q., Wu, J., and Ren, J.: Ablation modeling and surface energy budget in the ablation zone of Laohugou glacier No. 12, western Qilian mountains, China, Ann. Glaciol., 55, 111–120, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014AoG66A902, 2014.
Thayyen, R. J. and Gergan, J. T.: Role of glaciers in watershed hydrology: a preliminary study of a "Himalayan catchment", The Cryosphere, 4, 115–128, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-4-115-2010, 2010.
Thibert, E., Blanc, R., Vincent, C., and Eckert, N.: Glaciological and volumetric mass balance measurements: Error analysis over 51 years for Glacier de Sarennes, French Alps, J. Glaciol., 54, 522–532, 2008.
Van den Broeke, M. R.: Momentum, heat and moisture budgets of the katabatic wind layer over a mid-latitude glacier in summer, J. Appl. Meteorol., 36, 763–774, 1997.
Van den Broeke, M. R., Van As, D., Reijmer, C. H., and Van de Wal, R. S. W.: Assessing and Improving the Quality of Unattended Radiation Observations in Antarctica, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 21, 1417–1431, 2004.
van den Broeke, M. R., Smeets, C. J. P. P., and van de Wal, R. S. W.: The seasonal cycle and interannual variability of surface energy balance and melt in the ablation zone of the west Greenland ice sheet, The Cryosphere, 5, 377–390, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-377-2011, 2011.
Vincent, C., Ramanathan, Al., Wagnon, P., Dobhal, D. P., Linda, A., Berthier, E., Sharma, P., Arnaud, Y., Azam, M. F., Jose, P. G., and Gardelle, J.: Balanced conditions or slight mass gain of glaciers in the Lahaul and Spiti region (northern India, Himalaya) during the nineties preceded recent mass loss, The Cryosphere, 7, 569–582, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-569-2013, 2013.
Wagnon, P., Ribstein, P., Francou, B., and Pouyaud, B.: Annual cycle of energy balance of Zongo Glacier, Cordillera Real, Bolivia, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 3907–3923, 1999.
Wagnon, P., Ribstein, P., Francou, B., and Sicart, J. E.: Anomalous heat and mass balance budget of Glaciar Zongo, Bolivia, during the 1997/98, El Nino year, J. Glaciol., 47, 21–28, 2001.
Wagnon, P., Sicart, J.-E., Berthier, E., and Chazarin, J.-P.: Wintertime high-altitude surface energy balance of a Bolivian glacier, Illimani, 6340 m above sea level, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 4177, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002088, 2003.
Wagnon, P., Linda, A., Arnaud, Y., Kumar, R., Sharma, P., Vincent, C., Pottakkal, J. G., Berthier, E., Ramanathan, A., Hasnain, S. I., and Chevallier, P.: Four years of mass balance on Chhota Shigri Glacier, Himachal Pradesh, India, a new benchmark glacier in the western Himalaya, J. Glaciol., 53, 603–611, 2007.
Wagnon, P., Lafaysse, M., Lejeune, Y., Maisincho, L., Rojas, M., and Chazarin, J. P.: Understanding and modeling the physical processes that govern the melting of snow cover in a tropical mountain environment in Ecuador, J. Geophys. Res., 114, D19113, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JD012292, 2009.
Wagnon, P., Vincent, C., Arnaud, Y., Berthier, E., Vuillermoz, E., Gruber, S., Ménégoz, M., Gilbert, A., Dumont, M., Shea, J. M., Stumm, D., and Pokhrel, B. K.: Seasonal and annual mass balances of Mera and Pokalde glaciers (Nepal Himalaya) since 2007, The Cryosphere, 7, 1769–1786, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1769-2013, 2013.
Weiers, S.: Zur Klimatologie des NW-Karakoram und angrenzender Gebiete, Statistische Analysen unter Einbeziehung von Wettersatellitenbildern und eines Geographischen Information systems (GIS), Bonner Geographische Abhandlungen 92, Geographisches Institut, Universitat Bonn, Bonn, Germany, 1995.
Wulf, H., Bookhagen, B., and Scherler, D.: Seasonal precipitation gradients and their impact on fluvial sediment flux in the Northwest Himalaya, Geomorphology, 118, 13–21, 2010.
Yang, W., Guo, X., Yao, T., Yang, K., Zhao, L., Li, S., and Zhu, M.: Summertime surface energy budget and ablation modeling in the ablation zone of a maritime Tibetan glacier, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D14116, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD015183, 2011.
Zhang, G., Kang, S., Fujita, K., Huintjes, E., Xu, J., Yamazaki, T., Haginoya, S., Wei, Y., Scherer, D., Schneider, C., and Yao, T.: Energy and mass balance of the Zhadang Glacier surface, central Tibetan Plateau, J. Glaciol., 213, 137–148, https://doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J152, 2013.
Short summary
This paper presents point-scale surface energy balance on Chhota Shigri Glacier, Western Himalaya, India. Energy is available for melting only in summer-monsoon. Net all-wave radiation is the main heat flux towards the glacier surface accounting for 80% of the total melting energy followed by sensible (13%), latent (5%) turbulent and conductive (2%) heat fluxes. The intensity of summer-monsoon snowfalls is found among the most important drivers controlling the mass balance of this glacier.
This paper presents point-scale surface energy balance on Chhota Shigri Glacier, Western...
