Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Laffin, Matthew K.
• Zender, Charles S.
• Wessem, Melchior
• Noël, Brice
• Wang, Wenshan

Titel

Wind‐Associated Melt Trends and Contrasts Between the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets

Ist Teil von

• Geophysical research letters, 2023-08, Vol.50 (16), p.n/a

Ort / Verlag

Washington: John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2023

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Wiley Online Library Journals Frontfile Complete

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Föhn and katabatic winds (downslope winds) can increase ice sheet surface melt, run‐off, and ice‐shelf vulnerability to hydrofracture and are poorly constrained on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets (GIS and AIS). We use regional climate model simulations of the GIS and AIS to quantify and intercompare trends in downslope winds and associated melt since 1960. Results reveal surface melt associated with downslope wind is significant on both the GIS and AIS representing 27.5 ± 4.5% and 19.7 ± 3.8% of total surface melt respectively. Wind‐associated melt has decreased 31.8 ± 5.3% on the AIS while total melt decreased 15.4 ± 2.4% due to decreased föhn‐induced melt on the Antarctic Peninsula and increasing stratospheric ozone. Wind‐associated melt has increased 10.3 ± 2.5% on the GIS, combining with a more positive North Atlantic Oscillation and warmer surface to increase total melt 34 ± 5.8%. Plain Language Summary Föhn and katabatic winds (wind that travels downslope) can increase ice sheet surface melt that increases sea levels and ice‐shelf vulnerability. We use regional climate model simulations of the Greenland and Antarctic (GIS and AIS) to identify trends in downslope winds and associated melt since 1960. Results reveal surface melt associated with downslope winds is significant on both the GIS and AIS representing 27.5 ± 4.5% and 19.7 ± 3.8% of total surface melt respectively. Wind‐associated melt has decreased 31.8 ± 5.3% on the AIS while total melt has decreased 15.4 ± 2.4% due to decreased föhn‐induced melt on the Antarctic Peninsula and increasing stratospheric ozone that decreases sunlight at the surface. Wind‐associated melt has increased 10.3 ± 2.5% on the GIS, combining with warmer surface temperatures to increase total melt 34 ± 5.8%. Key Points Föhn and katabatic winds (downslope winds) and associated surface melt are prominent features on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets Surface melt trends associated with downslope winds have increased on the Greenland ice sheet and decreased on the Antarctic ice sheet