On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow
<p>The Thorpe and Mason (TM) model for calculating the mass lost from a sublimating snow grain is the basis of all existing small- and large-scale estimates of drifting snow sublimation and the associated snow mass balance of polar and alpine regions. We revisit this model to test its valid...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2018-11-01
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| Series: | The Cryosphere |
| Online Access: | https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3499/2018/tc-12-3499-2018.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818146814010851328 |
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| author | V. Sharma F. Comola M. Lehning M. Lehning |
| author_facet | V. Sharma F. Comola M. Lehning M. Lehning |
| author_sort | V. Sharma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The Thorpe and Mason (TM) model for calculating the mass lost from a
sublimating snow grain is the basis of all existing small- and large-scale
estimates of drifting snow sublimation and the associated snow mass balance
of polar and alpine regions. We revisit this model to test its validity for
calculating sublimation from saltating snow grains. It is shown that
numerical solutions of the unsteady mass and heat balance equations of an
individual snow grain reconcile well with the steady-state solution of the TM
model, albeit after a transient regime. Using large-eddy simulations (LESs),
it is found that the residence time of a typical saltating particle is
shorter than the period of the transient regime, implying that using the
steady-state solution might be erroneous. For scenarios with equal initial
air and particle temperatures of 263.15 K, these errors range from 26 % for
low-wind, low-saturation-rate conditions to 38 % for high-wind, high-saturation-rate conditions. With a small temperature difference of 1 K
between the air and the snow particles, the errors due to the TM model are
already as high as 100 % with errors increasing for larger temperature
differences.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T12:25:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-492f96559b9340e8b036b26cdbbd532a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1994-0416 1994-0424 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T12:25:19Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Cryosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-492f96559b9340e8b036b26cdbbd532a2022-12-22T01:07:24ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242018-11-01123499350910.5194/tc-12-3499-2018On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snowV. Sharma0F. Comola1M. Lehning2M. Lehning3School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, SwitzerlandSchool of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, SwitzerlandSchool of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, SwitzerlandWSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland<p>The Thorpe and Mason (TM) model for calculating the mass lost from a sublimating snow grain is the basis of all existing small- and large-scale estimates of drifting snow sublimation and the associated snow mass balance of polar and alpine regions. We revisit this model to test its validity for calculating sublimation from saltating snow grains. It is shown that numerical solutions of the unsteady mass and heat balance equations of an individual snow grain reconcile well with the steady-state solution of the TM model, albeit after a transient regime. Using large-eddy simulations (LESs), it is found that the residence time of a typical saltating particle is shorter than the period of the transient regime, implying that using the steady-state solution might be erroneous. For scenarios with equal initial air and particle temperatures of 263.15 K, these errors range from 26 % for low-wind, low-saturation-rate conditions to 38 % for high-wind, high-saturation-rate conditions. With a small temperature difference of 1 K between the air and the snow particles, the errors due to the TM model are already as high as 100 % with errors increasing for larger temperature differences.</p>https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3499/2018/tc-12-3499-2018.pdf |
| spellingShingle | V. Sharma F. Comola M. Lehning M. Lehning On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow The Cryosphere |
| title | On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
| title_full | On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
| title_fullStr | On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
| title_short | On the suitability of the Thorpe–Mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
| title_sort | on the suitability of the thorpe mason model for calculating sublimation of saltating snow |
| url | https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3499/2018/tc-12-3499-2018.pdf |
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