Katabatic winds diminish precipitation contribution to the Antarctic ice mass balance.

نویسندگان

  • Jacopo Grazioli
  • Jean-Baptiste Madeleine
  • Hubert Gallée
  • Richard M Forbes
  • Christophe Genthon
  • Gerhard Krinner
  • Alexis Berne
چکیده

Snowfall in Antarctica is a key term of the ice sheet mass budget that influences the sea level at global scale. Over the continental margins, persistent katabatic winds blow all year long and supply the lower troposphere with unsaturated air. We show that this dry air leads to significant low-level sublimation of snowfall. We found using unprecedented data collected over 1 year on the coast of Adélie Land and simulations from different atmospheric models that low-level sublimation accounts for a 17% reduction of total snowfall over the continent and up to 35% on the margins of East Antarctica, significantly affecting satellite-based estimations close to the ground. Our findings suggest that, as climate warming progresses, this process will be enhanced and will limit expected precipitation increases at the ground level.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Surface mass balance contributions to acceleration of Antarctic ice mass loss during 2003–2013

Recent observations from satellite gravimetry (the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission) suggest an acceleration of ice mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). The contribution of surface mass balance changes (due to variable precipitation) is compared with GRACE-derived mass loss acceleration by assessing the estimated contribution of snow mass from meteorological rean...

متن کامل

A satellite case study of a katabatic surge along the Transantarctic Mountains

A low-light visiblelnear-infra-red satellite image of the Ross Ice Shelf area at 15 10 UTC on 1 November 1986 showed a cloud-free region along the Transantarctic Mountains from the Liv Glacier northward. The corresponding thermal infra-red image indicated that the clear area was a katabatic air mass, fed by katabatic winds blowing from the main glacier valleys that dissect the Transantarctic Mo...

متن کامل

The Role of Eolian Processes in Forming Surface Featuresof the Martian Polar Layered Deposits

The major topographic features of the martian polar layered deposits include the conspicuous spiral troughs, subtle undulations, broad reentrants (chasma), steep, arcuate scarps, and dune fields. A prominent role for eolian processes in the formation of all of these features is proposed. Strong katabatic winds occur on the north polar cap, producing widespread frost streaks. These cold drainage...

متن کامل

Hemispheric Atmospheric Variations and Oceanographic Impacts Associated With Katabatic Surges Across the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica

Numerical simulations and surface-based observations how that katabatic winds persistently converge toward and blow across the Siple Coast part of West Antarctica onto the Ross Ice Shelf. About 14% of the time during winter (April to August 1988), thermal infrared satellite images reveal the horizontal propagation of this negatively buoyant katabatic airstream for al•out 1000 km across the ice ...

متن کامل

Glacio-meteorological conditions in the vicinity of the Belgian Princess Elisabeth Station, Antarctica

During two consecutive reconnaissance surveys in 2004 and 2005 and a revisit in 2008, the glaciological and meteorological conditions in the vicinity of the new Belgian Princess Elisabeth Station (71857'S; 23820'E) on Utsteinen Ridge were investigated. We set up an automatic weather station, measured the ice thickness around the Utsteinen Ridge, and established a mass balance stake network. The...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

دوره 114 41  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2017