The vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised Mittivakkat valley, southeast Greenland
Air temperature inversions, a situation in which atmospheric temperature increases with height, are key components of the Arctic planetary boundary layer. The present study investigates the spatial and temporal variations of temperature inversions over different surface types (rock, gravel, snow, ic...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022001204/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797652239224930304 |
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| author | Iris Hansche Sonika Shahi Jakob Abermann Wolfgang Schöner |
| author_facet | Iris Hansche Sonika Shahi Jakob Abermann Wolfgang Schöner |
| author_sort | Iris Hansche |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Air temperature inversions, a situation in which atmospheric temperature increases with height, are key components of the Arctic planetary boundary layer. The present study investigates the spatial and temporal variations of temperature inversions over different surface types (rock, gravel, snow, ice) along the Mittivakkat valley (southeast Greenland). For this purpose, 113 vertical profiles with high spatio-temporal resolution of air temperature and relative humidity were collected with unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) during a 13-day field campaign in summer 2019. Air temperature inversions were present in 83% of the profiles, of which 24% were surface-based inversions and 76% were elevated inversions. The proglacial area covered with bare rock and gravel induces surface heating and convection during the day and, through interaction with local circulation patterns, leads to the frequent formation of elevated inversions. In contrast, the glacier surface itself acts as a persistent cooling surface and leads to the formation of surface-based inversions. A low-level fog layer that forms under the inversion layer may be causing non-linear vertical ablation gradients on Mittivakkat Gletsjer. Furthermore, we demonstrate that atmospheric measurements using UAVs can better capture small-scale processes than other products like radiosonde or modeled reanalysis data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:27:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5d144e363b3b43f1ba171cf1cd0e8e17 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:27:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-5d144e363b3b43f1ba171cf1cd0e8e172023-10-24T09:48:09ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522023-10-01691097110810.1017/jog.2022.120The vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised Mittivakkat valley, southeast GreenlandIris Hansche0Sonika Shahi1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3231-4808Jakob Abermann2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1285-1868Wolfgang Schöner3Department of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Graz, Austria Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Graz, Austria Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Graz, Austria Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Graz, Austria Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, AustriaAir temperature inversions, a situation in which atmospheric temperature increases with height, are key components of the Arctic planetary boundary layer. The present study investigates the spatial and temporal variations of temperature inversions over different surface types (rock, gravel, snow, ice) along the Mittivakkat valley (southeast Greenland). For this purpose, 113 vertical profiles with high spatio-temporal resolution of air temperature and relative humidity were collected with unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) during a 13-day field campaign in summer 2019. Air temperature inversions were present in 83% of the profiles, of which 24% were surface-based inversions and 76% were elevated inversions. The proglacial area covered with bare rock and gravel induces surface heating and convection during the day and, through interaction with local circulation patterns, leads to the frequent formation of elevated inversions. In contrast, the glacier surface itself acts as a persistent cooling surface and leads to the formation of surface-based inversions. A low-level fog layer that forms under the inversion layer may be causing non-linear vertical ablation gradients on Mittivakkat Gletsjer. Furthermore, we demonstrate that atmospheric measurements using UAVs can better capture small-scale processes than other products like radiosonde or modeled reanalysis data.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022001204/type/journal_articleArctic glaciologyenergy balanceglacier mass balanceice/atmosphere interactions |
| spellingShingle | Iris Hansche Sonika Shahi Jakob Abermann Wolfgang Schöner The vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised Mittivakkat valley, southeast Greenland Journal of Glaciology Arctic glaciology energy balance glacier mass balance ice/atmosphere interactions |
| title | The vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised Mittivakkat valley, southeast Greenland |
| title_full | The vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised Mittivakkat valley, southeast Greenland |
| title_fullStr | The vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised Mittivakkat valley, southeast Greenland |
| title_full_unstemmed | The vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised Mittivakkat valley, southeast Greenland |
| title_short | The vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised Mittivakkat valley, southeast Greenland |
| title_sort | vertical atmospheric structure of the partially glacierised mittivakkat valley southeast greenland |
| topic | Arctic glaciology energy balance glacier mass balance ice/atmosphere interactions |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022001204/type/journal_article |
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