Ice Ablation Research Articles

GLACIOLOGICAL STUDIES AT RAE GLACIER, CANADIAN ROCKY MOUNTAINS

Rae Glacier is a small cirque glacier located in the front ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. In 1990 and 1991 field research was completed to describe the physical glaciology of Rae Glacier and to characterize historical glaciological trends at the site. Ablation and surface movement rates were measured using a network of stakes drilled into the glacier and radio-echo sounding was used to describe local ice depths. Rae Glacier has experienced a significant loss in size and mass during the historical period, owing to a lengthy interval of negative mass-balance conditions. The glacier has decreased in surface area by over 50% and now contains less than 24% of the ice it did at the end of the last century. Surface-ice velocity varied between 1.4 and 5.4 m from 1990 to 1991. Rates of ice ablation proved to be highly variable, with steeper areas showing up to 50% more ablation. Combined with data on the emergent flow component of the glacier, the ablation data suggest that the glacier presently is unable...

Sediments in Arctic sea ice: Implications for entrainment, transport and release

Despite the Arctic sea ice cover's recognized sensitivity to environmental change, the role of sediment inclusions in lowering ice albedo and affecting ice ablation is poorly understood. Sea ice sediment inclusions were studied in the central Arctic Ocean during the Arctic 91 expedition and in the Laptev Sea (East Siberian Arctic Region Expedition 1992). Results from these investigations are here combined with previous studies performed in major areas of ice ablation and the southern central Arctic Ocean. This study documents the regional distribution and composition of particle-laden ice, investigates and evaluates processes by which sediment is incorporated into the ice cover, and identifies transport paths and probable depositional centers for the released sediment. In April 1992, sea ice in the Laptev Sea was relatively clean. The sediment occasionally observed was distributed diffusely over the entire ice column, forming turbid ice. Observations indicate that frazil and anchor ice formation occurring in a large coastal polynya provide a main mechanism for sediment entrainment. In the central Arctic Ocean sediments are concentrated in layers within or at the surface of ice floes due to melting and refreezing processes. The surface sediment accumulation in central Arctic multi-year sea ice exceeds by far the amounts observed in first-year ice from the Laptev Sea in April 1992. Sea ice sediments are generally fine grained, although coarse sediments and stones up to 5 cm in diameter are observed. Component analysis indicates that quartz and clay minerals are the main terrigenous sediment particles. The biogenous components, namely shells of pelecypods and benthic foraminiferal tests, point to a shallow, benthic, marine source area. Apparently, sediment inclusions were resuspended from shelf areas before and incorporated into the sea ice by suspension freezing. Clay mineralogy of ice-rafted sediments provides information on potential source areas. A smectite maximum in sea ice sediment samples repeatedly occurred between 81°N and 83°N along the Arctic 91 transect, indicating a rather stable and narrow smectite rich ice drift stream of the Transpolar Drift. The smectite concentrations are comparable to those found in both Laptev Sea shelf sediments and anchor ice sediments, pointing to this sea as a potential source area for sea ice sediments. In the central Arctic Ocean sea ice clay mineralogy is significantly different from deep-sea clay mineral distribution patterns. The contribution of sea ice sediments to the deep sea is apparently diluted by sedimentary material provided by other transport mechanisms.

Dry extraction of 14CO 2 and 14CO from Antarctic ice

A dry extraction method was used to obtain trapped CO 2 of 2–5 kg ice samples from a blue ice zone in East Antarctica. In situ produced 14C was also extracted in 14CO 2 and 14CO concentrations at a ratio of 3.4 ± 0.9. Correction of trapped 14CO 2 from in situ resulted in ice dates in the range 5–15 ka. The realistic rates for accumulation and ablation of ice indicate about total efficiency of extraction.

Varve Deposition and the Sediment Yield Record at Three Small Lakes of the Southern Canadian Cordillera

Lacustrine sediments deposited in three small glacier-fed lakes of the southern Canadian Cordillera are derived primarily from subglacial erosion and delivered via short proglacial streams or by direct melting and calving of cirque glaciers. Sediment transport and deposition during early summer is controlled by runoff-generated bottom currents and in the late summer through winter by settling from suspension. This forms distinct rhythmic laminations of silt and clay in distal lake areas. Cesium-137 content in all three lakes indicates that these are varve sediments. Time series of varve thickness covering the interval 1863 to present show distinct declines in sediment yield from 310 to less than 150 t km[sup [minus]2] a[sup [minus]1]. The decline is related to sediment exhaustion following glacier retreat from Little Ice Age maxima and the opening of intervening sediment storage sites. Annual varve thickness is significantly related to fluctuations in summer or late summer temperature highlighting the importance of ice ablation, melt-water runoff, and subglacial sediment sources in controlling deposition rates. Singular climate events, such as autumn storms provide distinctive sedimentary signatures in the varve record. Reconstructed sediment yield for the Little Ice Age is as much as 100% greater than the average Holocene rate. 39 refs.,more » 8 figs., 2 tabs.« less

High Deglaciation Rates in Denmark During the Late Weichselian—Implications for the Palaeoenvironment

Ole Humlum & Michael Houmark-Nielsen: High Deglaciation Rates in Denmark During the Late Weichselian—Implications for the Palaeoenvironment. Geografisk Tidsskrift, Danish Journal of Geography 94:xx-xx. Copenhagen, Dec. 1994. Available geologic evidence suggests that the mean deglaciation rate in Denmark 18,000–17,000 calendar years BP was at least about 100 m/year, probably requiring a total vertical ice ablation of 30–35 m/year. This ablation value is large when compared to the amount of ice ablation that could be expected on physical grounds. The reasons for this apparent discrepancy are discussed and factors such as glacier bed strength characteristics, presence of marginal water bodies and occurrence of strong catabatic winds are suggested as environmental phenomena that should be taken into consideration when formulating dynamic deglaciation models and reconstructing the Late Weichselian palaeoenvironment in Denmark; climate alone does not explain the observed patterns and rates of deglaciation.

ICE THICKNESS, ABLATION, AND OTHER GLACIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS ON UPPER FREMONT GLACIER, WYOMING

Glaciological investigations of the Upper Fremont Glacier in the Wind River Range of Wyoming were conducted during 1990–1991. The glaciological data will provide baseline information for monitoring future changes to the glacier and support ongoing research utilizing glacial-ice-core composition to reconstruct paleoenvironmental records. Ice thickness, determined by radio-echo sounding, ranged from 60 to 172 m in the upper half of the glacier. Radio-echo sounding of ice thickness at one point was confirmed by drilling 159.7 m to bedrock. The difference between radio-echo sounding depth and measured drilling depth was about 4 m. Annual ablation (including snow, firn, and ice) measured for the 1990–1991 period averaged about 0.93 m/a. Densification proceeds rapidly on Upper Fremont Glacier. Measured densities in the near-surface parts of the glacier ranged from 4.4 x 105 g/m3 at the surface to larger than 8.5 x 105 g/m3 at depths exceeding 14 m. Surface ice velocity and direction were monitored from July 199...

An intermediate one‐dimensional thermodynamic sea ice model for investigating ice‐atmosphere interactions

A one‐dimensional thermodynamic model of sea ice is presented that focuses on those features that are most relevant to interactions with the atmosphere, namely the surface albedo and leads. It includes a surface albedo parameterization that interacts strongly with the state of the surface, and explicitly includes meltwater ponds. The lead parameterization contains a minimum lead fraction, absorption of solar radiation in and below the leads, lateral accretion and ablation of the sea ice, and a prescribed sea ice divergence rate. The model performed well in predicting the current climatic sea ice conditions in the central Arctic when compared with observations and other theoretical calculations. Results of parameter sensitivity tests produced large equilibrium ice thicknesses for small values of ice divergence or large values of minimum lead fraction as a result of positive feedback mechanisms involving cooling of water in the leads. The ice thickness was also quite sensitive to the meltwater runoff fraction and moderately sensitive to the other parameters in the melt pond parameterization, a result of the strong dependence of the surface albedo, and hence the net flux, on the surface conditions. To further investigate the physical interactions and internal feedback processes governing the sea ice‐lead system, sensitivity tests were also performed for each of the external forcing variables. The model's equilibrium sea ice thickness was extremely sensitive to changes in the downward longwave and shortwave fluxes and atmospheric temperature and humidity, moderately sensitive to the value of the ocean heat flux, and insensitive to values of wind speed, snowfall, and rainfall in the immediate vicinity of the baseline forcing, although significant changes in thickness occurred for larger variations in wind speed and snowfall. Four important positive feedback loops were identified and described: (1) the surface albedo feedback, (2) the conduction feedback, (3) the lead solar flux feedback, and (4) the lead fraction feedback. The destabilizing effects of these positive feedbacks were mitigated by two strong negative feedbacks: (1) the outgoing longwave flux feedback, and (2) the turbulent flux feedback. Considering the strong influence which sea ice has on global atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns, it is essential that climate models be able to treat these feedback processes appropriately.

Seasonal variation of ice ablation at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet and its sensitivity to climate change, Qamanârssûp sermia, West Greenland

AbstractMonthly ice ablation was measured at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet for June, July and August over 7 years (1980–86). The total winter ablation (September-May) has also been measured, and a simple ablation-temperature model used to assign ablation values to individual months. Under the present climate, the most ablation occurred in June-August (on average 81% of annual ablation), moderate ablation took place in May and September (17%) and very little ablation occurred in October-April (2%). The effect of climate change on ice ablation is simulated using the ablation model to recalculate ablation for higher temperatures. Summer ice ablation increases with temperature in the model, but there is proportionally greater increase for May and September, whereas the period from October to April is presently so cold that even a temperature rise of +5 °C will hardly increase ablation. The difference in annual ice ablation caused by future climate change will therefore depend upon the seasonal distribution of the temperature change. Changes in precipitation and accumulation will further modify the seasonal variation of ablation.

Seasonal variation of ice ablation at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet and its sensitivity to climate change, Qamanârssûp sermia, West Greenland

AbstractMonthly ice ablation was measured at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet for June, July and August over 7 years (1980–86). The total winter ablation (September-May) has also been measured, and a simple ablation-temperature model used to assign ablation values to individual months. Under the present climate, the most ablation occurred in June-August (on average 81% of annual ablation), moderate ablation took place in May and September (17%) and very little ablation occurred in October-April (2%). The effect of climate change on ice ablation is simulated using the ablation model to recalculate ablation for higher temperatures. Summer ice ablation increases with temperature in the model, but there is proportionally greater increase for May and September, whereas the period from October to April is presently so cold that even a temperature rise of +5 °C will hardly increase ablation. The difference in annual ice ablation caused by future climate change will therefore depend upon the seasonal distribution of the temperature change. Changes in precipitation and accumulation will further modify the seasonal variation of ablation.

Effects of climatic perturbations on the equilibrium-line altitude, West Greenland

AbstractPerturbation analysis is applied to the heat balance at the EGIG line (West Greenland) with respect to climatic changes. The shift of the equilibrium-line altitude is obtained for perturbations of temperature, absolute humidity, cloudiness and annual accumulation. The total net ice ablation at the EGIG line increases by 45% with a perturbation of + 1 K. Applying this figure to the entire ice sheet, the total ablation equals the total accumulation at a warming of + 2 K, if refreezing of melt water is neglected.

Effects of climatic perturbations on the equilibrium-line altitude, West Greenland

AbstractPerturbation analysis is applied to the heat balance at the EGIG line (West Greenland) with respect to climatic changes. The shift of the equilibrium-line altitude is obtained for perturbations of temperature, absolute humidity, cloudiness and annual accumulation. The total net ice ablation at the EGIG line increases by 45% with a perturbation of + 1 K. Applying this figure to the entire ice sheet, the total ablation equals the total accumulation at a warming of + 2 K, if refreezing of melt water is neglected.

Meteoroid ablation in Neptune's atmosphere

Meteoroid ablation rates in Neptune's atmosphere are calculated for certain assumptions concerning the mass and velocity distribution of meteoroids in the outer Solar System. Silicate meteoroids lose most of their mass in the 1- to 100-μbar region of Neptune's atmosphere while water-ice meteoroids ablate at even higher altitudes, i.e., pressures ⪅1 μbar. Although the ablation of both silicate and water ice occurs at altitudes that are too low to significantly affect ionospheric chemistry, meteors might contribute to ionization in Neptune's lower “bottomside” ionosphere. In addition, the interaction of water dissociation products with neutral atmospheric constituents can generate CO molecules in Neptune's upper atmosphere. The total column influx of water molecules due to meteoroid ablation on Neptune is found to range from 7 × 10 5 to 2 × 10 8 cm −2 sec −1 (an amount that could lead to stratospheric column abundances of CO of 5 × 10 15 to 1× 10 18 molecules cm −2); the exact value depends on the characteristics of the meteoroid population. Even the upper value of this range appears to be too small to explain the recent observations of CO on Neptune; however, given the uncertainty is these calculations, meteoroid ablation cannot be ruled out as the source of CO on Neptune. The total column influx of silicate material ranges from 2 × 10 6 to 3 × 10 8 cm −2 sec −1. Even the lower value of this range is sufficient for providing a source of dust particles to initiate nucleation and condensation of hydrocarbons in Neptune's lower stratosphere.

Calculated variations of annual ice ablation at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet, West Greenland, 1961–90

AbstractAnnual ice ablation has been measured at three locations at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet: Nordbogletscher (for 6 years: 1977–78 to 1982– 83), Qamanârssûp sermia (8 years: 1979–80 to 1986–87) and at Paakitsup Akuliarusersua (7 years: 1982–83 to the present). As the data sets cover different periods, it is difficult to compare ablation directly between the three sites. However, measured series at each site can be extended over the last 30 years (1961–90) by simulations using climatic data, and the extended data series can be compared. The pattern of calculated ablation variations at the three locations is remarkably similar with no sign of any trend towards increased ablation in recent years. There was generally low ablation from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s that may explain the recent thickening of the ablation area which has been detected by satellite radar altimetry. Ablation varies substantially from year to year, e.g. with a standard deviation of the order of ±0.5 m water a−1, and any future monitoring programme must detect trends of increasing ablation against this background of natural variations.

Calculated variations of annual ice ablation at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet, West Greenland, 1961–90

AbstractAnnual ice ablation has been measured at three locations at the margin of the Greenland ice sheet: Nordbogletscher (for 6 years: 1977–78 to 1982– 83), Qamanârssûp sermia (8 years: 1979–80 to 1986–87) and at Paakitsup Akuliarusersua (7 years: 1982–83 to the present). As the data sets cover different periods, it is difficult to compare ablation directly between the three sites. However, measured series at each site can be extended over the last 30 years (1961–90) by simulations using climatic data, and the extended data series can be compared. The pattern of calculated ablation variations at the three locations is remarkably similar with no sign of any trend towards increased ablation in recent years. There was generally low ablation from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s that may explain the recent thickening of the ablation area which has been detected by satellite radar altimetry. Ablation varies substantially from year to year, e.g. with a standard deviation of the order of ±0.5 m water a−1, and any future monitoring programme must detect trends of increasing ablation against this background of natural variations.

Evidence for a Mazama-like tephra deposited ca. 10 000 BP at Copper Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta

Mazama tephra is a widespread mid-Holocene stratigraphic marker, dating to ca. 6845 BP, and is considered useful for the correlation of Holocene events in western North America. We present evidence from Copper Lake, Alberta, for a tephra layer that underlies Mazama tephra and appears to be a discrete tephra layer but that is indistinguishable from the conventional Mazama tephra by microprobe analysis of glass shards. Three alternative hypotheses are considered to explain this tephra underlying Mazama: in situ position of an earlier Mazama-like tephra, recycling of tephras, and settling of tephra slabs through the gyttja. The size distributions of birch pollen grains indicate that the Mazama-like tephra is in primary stratigraphic position in the early Holocene gyttja, and that sediment recycling has not destroyed the integrity of Copper Lake sediment stratigraphy. It is concluded that most probably a Mazama-like tephra was deposited between 9700 and 10 500 BP. If this in situ hypothesis is correct, the identification of a tephra as Mazama by major-element chemistry does not necessarily fix the age of the enclosing strata. Evidence to confirm the existence and plot the distribution of a Late Pleistocene – early Holocene, Mazama-like tephra is needed from other sites in northwestern America. A collateral result of this study is that ablation of valley-bottom ice in the vicinity of Castle Mountain took place prior to 10 500 BP.

Polar ice ablation rates measured using in situ cosmogenic 14C

THE first suggestion that appreciable 14C might be produced in situ in polar ice was made by Fireman and Norris1, who studied 14C in CO2 extracted from both accumulation and ablation samples. In some ablation samples they observed 14C activities between four and six times higher than those expected due to trapped atmospheric CO2. Here we report the detection of an unambiguous signal of in situ cosmogenic 14C in ice samples from two ablation sites in the Antarctic. The 14C is produced mainly by nuclear spallations of oxygen in ice. The observed concentration of 14C in ablation ice samples is 1–3 x 103 atom per g ice—three orders of magnitude higher than expected from the amount of trapped atmospheric CO2 in this ice. The in situ 14C has a unique signature: about 60% exists as 14CO and the remainder as 14CO2. This result is consistent with that expected from studies of artificially produced 11C in solid targets. The 14C concentration is found to decrease with depth as expected for in situ production. The calculated model ablation rates are found to be 5.8±0.7 and 7.6±0.8 cm yr-1 at two sites from the Allan Hills main ice field, in agreement with rates determined by the stake method. Our work indicates that the 14C age of accumulation ice based on trapped (atmospheric) CO2 would be an underestimate of the true age, if a correction is not made for in situ produced 14CO2. This can be done easily because the 14C activities of both the CO and CO2 phases, as well as the trapped CO2 concentration, can be measured.

A Simple Energy-Balance Model to Calculate Ice Ablation at the Margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet

AbstractData for daily ice ablation on two outlets from the Greenland ice sheet, Nordbogletscher (1979–83) and Qamanârssûp sermia (1980–86), are used to test a simple energy-balance model which calculates ablation from climate data. The mean errors of the model are only −1.1 and −1.3 mm water d−1for Nordbogletscher (14 months) and Qamanârssûp sermia (21 months), respectively, with standard deviations of ±13.6 and ±18.9 mm water d−1for calculating daily ablation. The larger error for Qamanârssûp sermia may be due to variations in ice albedo but the model also underestimates ablation during Föhn events.According to the model, radiation accounts for about two-thirds of mean ablation for June-August at the two sites, while turbulent fluxes account for about one-third. The average ablation rate is higher at Qamanârssûp sermia than at Nordbogletscher because both sensible-heat flux and short-wave radiation are higher.

A Simple Energy-Balance Model to Calculate Ice Ablation at the Margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet

AbstractData for daily ice ablation on two outlets from the Greenland ice sheet, Nordbogletscher (1979–83) and Qamanârssûp sermia (1980–86), are used to test a simple energy-balance model which calculates ablation from climate data. The mean errors of the model are only −1.1 and −1.3 mm water d−1 for Nordbogletscher (14 months) and Qamanârssûp sermia (21 months), respectively, with standard deviations of ±13.6 and ±18.9 mm water d−1 for calculating daily ablation. The larger error for Qamanârssûp sermia may be due to variations in ice albedo but the model also underestimates ablation during Föhn events.According to the model, radiation accounts for about two-thirds of mean ablation for June-August at the two sites, while turbulent fluxes account for about one-third. The average ablation rate is higher at Qamanârssûp sermia than at Nordbogletscher because both sensible-heat flux and short-wave radiation are higher.

Response of the Energy Balance on the Margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet to Temperature Changes

AbstractDaily ice ablation on two outlet glaciers from the Greenland ice sheet, Nordbogletscher (1979–83) and Qamanârssûp sermia (1980–86), is related to air temperature by a linear regression equation. Analysis of this ablation-temperature equation with the help of a simple energy-balance model shows that sensible-heat flux has the greatest temperature response and accounts for about one-half of the temperature response of ablation. Net radiation accounts for about one-quarter of the temperature response of ablation, and latent-heat flux and errors account for the remainder. The temperature response of sensible-heat flux at QQamanârssûp sermia is greater than at Nordbogletscher mainly due to higher average wind speeds. The association of high winds with high temperatures during Föhn events further increases sensible-heat flux. The energy-balance model shows that ablation from a snow surface is only about half that from an ice surface at the same air temperature.

Response of the Energy Balance on the Margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet to Temperature Changes

AbstractDaily ice ablation on two outlet glaciers from the Greenland ice sheet, Nordbogletscher (1979–83) and Qamanârssûp sermia (1980–86), is related to air temperature by a linear regression equation. Analysis of this ablation-temperature equation with the help of a simple energy-balance model shows that sensible-heat flux has the greatest temperature response and accounts for about one-half of the temperature response of ablation. Net radiation accounts for about one-quarter of the temperature response of ablation, and latent-heat flux and errors account for the remainder. The temperature response of sensible-heat flux at QQamanârssûp sermia is greater than at Nordbogletscher mainly due to higher average wind speeds. The association of high winds with high temperatures during Föhn events further increases sensible-heat flux. The energy-balance model shows that ablation from a snow surface is only about half that from an ice surface at the same air temperature.