A benchmark dataset of in situ Antarctic surface melt rates and energy balance

Surface melt on the coastal Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) determines the viability of its ice shelves and the stability of the grounded ice sheet, but very few in situ melt rate estimates exist to date. Here we present a benchmark dataset of in situ surface melt rates and energy balance from nine sites...

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Main Authors: Constantijn L. Jakobs, Carleen H. Reijmer, C. J. P. Paul Smeets, Luke D. Trusel, Willem Jan van de Berg, Michiel R. van den Broeke, J. Melchior van Wessem
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2020-04-01
Series:Journal of Glaciology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000064/type/journal_article
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author Constantijn L. Jakobs
Carleen H. Reijmer
C. J. P. Paul Smeets
Luke D. Trusel
Willem Jan van de Berg
Michiel R. van den Broeke
J. Melchior van Wessem
author_facet Constantijn L. Jakobs
Carleen H. Reijmer
C. J. P. Paul Smeets
Luke D. Trusel
Willem Jan van de Berg
Michiel R. van den Broeke
J. Melchior van Wessem
author_sort Constantijn L. Jakobs
collection DOAJ
description Surface melt on the coastal Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) determines the viability of its ice shelves and the stability of the grounded ice sheet, but very few in situ melt rate estimates exist to date. Here we present a benchmark dataset of in situ surface melt rates and energy balance from nine sites in the eastern Antarctic Peninsula (AP) and coastal Dronning Maud Land (DML), East Antarctica, seven of which are located on AIS ice shelves. Meteorological time series from eight automatic and one staffed weather station (Neumayer), ranging in length from 15 months to almost 24 years, serve as input for an energy-balance model to obtain consistent surface melt rates and energy-balance results. We find that surface melt rates exhibit large temporal, spatial and process variability. Intermittent summer melt in coastal DML is primarily driven by absorption of shortwave radiation, while non-summer melt events in the eastern AP occur during föhn events that force a large downward directed turbulent flux of sensible heat. We use the in situ surface melt rate dataset to evaluate melt rates from the regional atmospheric climate model RACMO2 and validate a melt product from the QuikSCAT satellite.
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spelling doaj.art-7806942e444044d79030d174a9f6ce492023-03-09T12:40:52ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522020-04-016629130210.1017/jog.2020.6A benchmark dataset of in situ Antarctic surface melt rates and energy balanceConstantijn L. Jakobs0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8707-2223Carleen H. Reijmer1C. J. P. Paul Smeets2Luke D. Trusel3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7792-6173Willem Jan van de Berg4Michiel R. van den Broeke5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4662-7565J. Melchior van Wessem6Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The NetherlandsInstitute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The NetherlandsInstitute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Geography, Penn State University, University Park, PA, USAInstitute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The NetherlandsInstitute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The NetherlandsInstitute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The NetherlandsSurface melt on the coastal Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) determines the viability of its ice shelves and the stability of the grounded ice sheet, but very few in situ melt rate estimates exist to date. Here we present a benchmark dataset of in situ surface melt rates and energy balance from nine sites in the eastern Antarctic Peninsula (AP) and coastal Dronning Maud Land (DML), East Antarctica, seven of which are located on AIS ice shelves. Meteorological time series from eight automatic and one staffed weather station (Neumayer), ranging in length from 15 months to almost 24 years, serve as input for an energy-balance model to obtain consistent surface melt rates and energy-balance results. We find that surface melt rates exhibit large temporal, spatial and process variability. Intermittent summer melt in coastal DML is primarily driven by absorption of shortwave radiation, while non-summer melt events in the eastern AP occur during föhn events that force a large downward directed turbulent flux of sensible heat. We use the in situ surface melt rate dataset to evaluate melt rates from the regional atmospheric climate model RACMO2 and validate a melt product from the QuikSCAT satellite.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000064/type/journal_articleAntarctic glaciologyenergy balancemelt-surfaceice/atmosphere interactionssnow/ice surface processes
spellingShingle Constantijn L. Jakobs
Carleen H. Reijmer
C. J. P. Paul Smeets
Luke D. Trusel
Willem Jan van de Berg
Michiel R. van den Broeke
J. Melchior van Wessem
A benchmark dataset of in situ Antarctic surface melt rates and energy balance
Journal of Glaciology
Antarctic glaciology
energy balance
melt-surface
ice/atmosphere interactions
snow/ice surface processes
title A benchmark dataset of in situ Antarctic surface melt rates and energy balance
title_full A benchmark dataset of in situ Antarctic surface melt rates and energy balance
title_fullStr A benchmark dataset of in situ Antarctic surface melt rates and energy balance
title_full_unstemmed A benchmark dataset of in situ Antarctic surface melt rates and energy balance
title_short A benchmark dataset of in situ Antarctic surface melt rates and energy balance
title_sort benchmark dataset of in situ antarctic surface melt rates and energy balance
topic Antarctic glaciology
energy balance
melt-surface
ice/atmosphere interactions
snow/ice surface processes
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000064/type/journal_article
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