Author:
Wientjes I. G. M.,Oerlemans J.
Abstract
Abstract. The western part of the Greenland ice sheet contains a region that is darker than the surrounding ice. This feature has been analysed with the help of MODIS images. The dark region appears every year during the summer season and can always be found at the same location, which makes meltwater unlikely as the only source for the low albedos. Spectral information indicates that the ice in this region contains more debris than the ice closer to the margin. ASTER images reveal a wavy pattern in the darker ice. Based on these findings we conclude that ice, containing dust from older periods, is presently outcropping near the margin, leading to albedos lower than observed for the remaining ablation area. Therefore it can be concluded that the accumulation of meltwater is a result rather than a cause of the darkening.
Subject
Earth-Surface Processes,Water Science and Technology
Reference23 articles.
1. Ambach, W.: Zur {S}ch{ä}tzung der {E}is-{N}ettoablation im {R}andgebiet des {G}r{ö}nl{ä}ndischen {I}nlandeises, Polarforschung, 42, 18–23, 1972.
2. Bamber, J. L., Ekholm, S., and Krabill, W. B.: A new, high-resolution digital elevation model of {G}reenland fully validated with airborne laser altimeter data, J. Geophys. Res., 106, 6733–6745, 2001.
3. Bøggild, C. E., Oerter, H., and Tukiainen, T.: Increased ablation of {W}isconsin ice in eastern north {G}reenland: observations and modelling, Ann. Glaciol., 23, 144–148, 1996.
4. Bøggild, C. E., Brandt, R. E., Brown, K. J., and Warren, S. G.: The ablation zone in northeast {G}reenland: ice types, albedos and impurities, J. Glaciol., 56, 101–113, 2010.
5. Box, J. E., Bromwich, D. H., Veenhuis, B. A., Bai, L.-S., Stroeve, J. C., Rogers, J. C., Steffen, K., Haran, T., and Wang, S.-H.: Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance variability (1988–2004) from calibrated {P}olar {M}{M}5 output, J. Climate, 19, 2783–2800, 2006.
Cited by
81 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