Author:
Srivastava Smriti,Azam Mohd. Farooq
Abstract
Available surface energy balance (SEB) studies on the Himalayan glaciers generally investigate the melt-governing energy fluxes at a point-scale. Further, the annual glacier-wide mass balance (Ba) reconstructions have often been performed using temperature-index (T-index) models. In the present study, a mass- and energy-balance model is used to simulate the Ba on Dokriani Bamak Glacier (DBG, central Himalaya) and Chhota Shigri Glacier (CSG, western Himalaya) using the bias-corrected ERA5 data from 1979 to 2020. The model is calibrated using in-situ Ba and validated against available in-situ altitudinal and geodetic mass balances. DBG and CSG show mean Ba of −0.27 ± 0.32 and −0.31 ± 0.38 m w.e. a−1 (meter water equivalent per year), respectively, from 1979 to 2020. Glacier-wide net shortwave radiation dominates the SEB followed by longwave net radiation, latent heat flux, and sensible heat flux. The losses through sublimation are around 22% on DBG and 20% on CSG to the total ablation with a strong spatial and temporal variability. Modeled Ba is highly sensitive to snow albedo —with sensitivities of 0.29 and 0.37 m w.e. a−1 for 10% change in the calibrated value—on DBG and CSG, respectively. The sensitivity of the modeled mean Ba to 1°C change in air temperature and 10% change in precipitation, respectively is higher on DBG (−0.50 m w.e. a−1°C−1, 0.23 m w.e. a−1) than the CSG (−0.30 m w.e. a−1°C−1, 0.13 m w.e. a−1). This study provides insights into the regional variations in mass-wastage governing SEB fluxes at a glacier-wide scale, which is helpful for understanding the glacier–climate interactions in the Himalaya and stresses an inclusion of sublimation scheme in T-index models.
Funder
Science and Engineering Research Board
Reference109 articles.
1. Mass and energy balance estimation of Yala glacier (2011–2017), Langtang valley, Nepal;Acharya;Water,2019
2. Distributed energy balance modeling of South Cascade Glacier, Washington and assessment of model uncertainty;Anslow;J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf.,2008
3. Need of integrated monitoring on reference glacier catchments for future water security in Himalaya;Azam;Water Secur,2021
4. Glaciohydrology of the himalaya-karakoram;Azam;Science,2021
5. Meteorological conditions, seasonal and annual mass balances of Chhota Shigri Glacier, western Himalaya, India;Azam;Ann. Glaciol,2016
Cited by
6 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献