Glaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
The McMurdo Dry Valleys are a cold, dry polar desert and the alpine glaciers therein exhibit small annual and seasonal mass balances, often <±0.06 m w.e. Typically, winter is the accumulation season, but significant snow storms can occur any time of year occasionally making summer the accumulatio...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2016-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143016000861/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811155887219277824 |
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| author | ANDREW G. FOUNTAIN HASSAN J. BASAGIC SPENCER NIEBUHR |
| author_facet | ANDREW G. FOUNTAIN HASSAN J. BASAGIC SPENCER NIEBUHR |
| author_sort | ANDREW G. FOUNTAIN |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The McMurdo Dry Valleys are a cold, dry polar desert and the alpine glaciers therein exhibit small annual and seasonal mass balances, often <±0.06 m w.e. Typically, winter is the accumulation season, but significant snow storms can occur any time of year occasionally making summer the accumulation season. The yearly equilibrium line altitude is poorly correlated with mass balance because the elevation gradient of mass balance on each glacier can change dramatically from year to year. Most likely, winds redistribute the light snowfall disrupting the normal gradient of increasing mass balance with elevation. Reconstructed cumulative mass balance shows that the glaciers have lost <2 m w.e. over the past half century and area changes show minimal retreat. In most cases these changes are less than the uncertainty and the glaciers are considered in equilibrium. Since 2000, however, the glaciers have lost mass despite relatively stable summer air temperatures suggesting a different mechanism in play. Whether this trend is a harbinger of future changes or a temporary excursion is unclear. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:42:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd09484be0f449f0beaf78c2af37e90d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:42:12Z |
| publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd09484be0f449f0beaf78c2af37e90d2023-03-09T12:40:17ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522016-10-016297698910.1017/jog.2016.86Glaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, AntarcticaANDREW G. FOUNTAIN0HASSAN J. BASAGIC1SPENCER NIEBUHR2Department of Geology, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USADepartment of Geology, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USAPolar Geospatial Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USAThe McMurdo Dry Valleys are a cold, dry polar desert and the alpine glaciers therein exhibit small annual and seasonal mass balances, often <±0.06 m w.e. Typically, winter is the accumulation season, but significant snow storms can occur any time of year occasionally making summer the accumulation season. The yearly equilibrium line altitude is poorly correlated with mass balance because the elevation gradient of mass balance on each glacier can change dramatically from year to year. Most likely, winds redistribute the light snowfall disrupting the normal gradient of increasing mass balance with elevation. Reconstructed cumulative mass balance shows that the glaciers have lost <2 m w.e. over the past half century and area changes show minimal retreat. In most cases these changes are less than the uncertainty and the glaciers are considered in equilibrium. Since 2000, however, the glaciers have lost mass despite relatively stable summer air temperatures suggesting a different mechanism in play. Whether this trend is a harbinger of future changes or a temporary excursion is unclear.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143016000861/type/journal_articleAntarcticaglaciersmass balance |
| spellingShingle | ANDREW G. FOUNTAIN HASSAN J. BASAGIC SPENCER NIEBUHR Glaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica Journal of Glaciology Antarctica glaciers mass balance |
| title | Glaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
| title_full | Glaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
| title_fullStr | Glaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
| title_full_unstemmed | Glaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
| title_short | Glaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica |
| title_sort | glaciers in equilibrium mcmurdo dry valleys antarctica |
| topic | Antarctica glaciers mass balance |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143016000861/type/journal_article |
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