Articles | Volume 9, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-83-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-83-2015
Research article
 | 
08 Jan 2015
Research article |  | 08 Jan 2015

Stable climate and surface mass balance in Svalbard over 1979–2013 despite the Arctic warming

C. Lang, X. Fettweis, and M. Erpicum

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AR by Charlotte Lang on behalf of the Authors (11 Nov 2014)  Author's response    Manuscript
ED: Publish as is (12 Nov 2014) by Jon Ove Hagen
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Short summary
We have modelled the surface mass balance (SMB) of Svalbard with the model MAR over 1979--2013. The mean SMB is slightly negative and the Svalbard glaciers are losing mass through surface processes (mainly precipitation and runoff), but there has been no acceleration of the surface melt, contrary to Greenland where melt records have been broken since 2006. We attributed it to a change in atmospheric circulation, resulting in northerly cold flows over Svalbard damping Arctic warming.