Surface mass balance calculation with ground observation in the sub-basin of Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica

Abstract

The study includes ground-based data of surface mass balance calculations to assess the input of climate change on the ice sheet health. The study covers an approximately 471 km2 area of the ice sheet that lies in between the Dålk and Polarårboken glaciers, Larsemann Hills, Prince Elizabeth, East Antarctica. Snow accumulation/ablation data is collected from 13 stake networks and 06 single stakes installed on the ice sheet. The monitored area is extrapolated on the basis of elevation and glaciological parameters using ArcGIS 10.8.1. The exposed height and precise locations of stakes have been recorded using DGPS and compared with the preceeding year's datasets. The annual measure accumulation/ablation data is processed in ArcGIS for the estimation of surface mass balance since 2018. The accumulation/ablation rate of the ice sheet is not uniform and influenced by the meteorological parameters i.e. temperature, precipitation and wind speed. The values of net surface mass balance are 0.027 Gt yr−1, 0.088 Gt yr−1, 0.044 Gt yr−1, and 0.026 Gt yr−1 since 2018 to 2021 respectively.