September August Research Articles

Ascribing the capricious weather thes is to the unprecedented july-september 2022 flood hazards in the kumba and mutengene-likomba agglomerations of the south west cameroon coastal plain of cameroon

Recurring flood scenarios are globally, the most endemic, ubiquitous and dramatic natural hazards especially on low-lying and steep sloping areas. The area space covered by the settlements of Kumba, Mutengene and Tiko have these characteristic landscapes and flooding events common but those of July to September August to 2022 were not only record breaking but somewhat enigmatic in nature. This study sought to make an in-depth examination of probable triggers of the hydroclimatic catastrophe. The study adopted the mixed research design combining both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Primary data on the dimension of the flooding scenarios, the drivers were obtained through empirical research methods of direct and indirect field observations of affected areas. Daily, monthly and annual climatic data were sourced from NASA satellite database, and analysed to obtain temporal rainfall intensities and distribution patterns. Change detection of landcover and land uses were established through GIS analysis of satellite images between year 2000 and 2022. Impacts of the flood events were obtained through an exploratory survey of the flood impacted zones. The results revealed the principal trigger mechanism of the cataclysmic floods of July and September 2022 to be the disruption of the natural balance of the landscape linked to combined effects over the years, of intensifying high rainfall concentration within fewer months of the year, and the heightened vulnerability of the landscape due to uncontrolled land cover and land use mutations that have coerced anthropic colonisation of natural water course ways, to the extent that indigenous adaptation measures as raised foundations and sand bag embankments were dwarfed by the flood waters.Far reaching consequences registered were destruction of communication lines, infrastructural facilities, arable and pastoral farmlands and landscape spoliation by landslides. The recommends proper land use planning and improvement of drains systems as the sustainable preventive panacea to such a situation.

Field Evaluation of In Vitro Derived Mutants of Different Varieties of Banana on Fruit Quality Parameters

A field experiment was conducted on field evaluation of in vitro derived mutants of different varieties of banana during (October–September), 2018–19 and (September–August), 2019–20 at the Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. The one thirty-eight (138) in vitro derived banana mutants both physical and chemical mutagens treated plants along with check were planted. The experiment was laid out in augmented block design with 6 blocks and 26 subplots each block having 23 in vitro mutant lines and three checks. The cultivars used for the experiment were viz., Yelakki bale, Rajapuri bale and Nanjangud rasabale. Among 138 in vitro derived mutants in plant crop, there was no significant difference noted in pulp weight, pulp to peel ratio and fruit firmness. Among different mutants in pulp weight parameter the maximum pulp weight was recorded in NR45Gy-09 (86.45 g), peel weight, RAJ45Gy-14 (20.00 g) pulp to peel ratio YB35Gy-05 (6.70) flavour acceptance, YB40Gy-03 (7.82) fruit firmness, YB40Gy-12 (18.82 N) and shelf life YB40Gy-14 (8.10 days). in ratoon crop, the maximum pulp weight was recorded in NR45Gy-09 (86.45 g), peel weight, RAJ45Gy-14 (25.00 g) pulp to peel ratio, YB35Gy-24 (7.36) flavour acceptance, RAJ45Gy-03 (7.48) fruit firmness, YB40Gy-11 (16.50 N) and shelf life YB45Gy-08 (9.00 days).

Improved statistical models for the relationship between riparian vegetation and river flow in arid environments: Implications for flow management

Riparian vegetation (RV) provides critical ecosystem services but has been degraded worldwide due to river flow change. Quantitative relationships between RV and river flow are essential for understanding RV developments and managing flow to conserve RV. Based on the improved statistical model framework that incorporates previous RV conditions into explanatory variables to estimate later RV conditions, this study quantified the RV-flow relationships on the annual scale in the arid Ejina Delta through regression analysis coupled with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and hydrological data during 2002–2020. The median of NDVIs over the April–October growing season (SMN) was used to indicate annual vegetation conditions, and annual RV cover was derived using a dynamic SMN threshold (0.077–0.084) based on its better vegetation conditions than surrounding deserts. The water year was determined as September–August based on the defoliation time and lag time of the groundwater response to river flow. The results showed that (1) the RV cover approximately expanded from 1619 to 2914 km2, and the total SMN of RV cover increased from 3711 to 7880; (2) the spatial pattern of SMN declining away from rivers was well described by an exponential function with two physically meaningful parameters (R2 = 0.99); (3) the water-year runoff ranged from 4.0 × 108 to 10.6 × 108 m3 with an increasing trend; and (4) the annual RV condition, including both the total SMN and the spatial pattern of SMN, was well estimated by the multiple linear models incorporating a previous RV condition with a coefficient <1 and the subsequent water-year runoffs (R2 = 0.98). The results suggest that previous RV conditions are necessary to improve the rationality and performance of RV-flow relationship models, and in arid environments, annual RV conditions depend on the RV's degradation characteristics under zero flow conditions and the ecological benefit by river flow.

Reconstructed precipitation in the Lohit River basin, southern Tibetan Plateau since 1720 CE and its weak linkages with monsoon‐season Brahmaputra discharge

AbstractHigh Asian glaciers and precipitation have directly or indirectly influenced the freshwater supply of billions of people and natural ecosystems in surrounding areas. To better understand the hydroclimatic changes in the High Asian transboundary river basins in the context of global warming, more precipitation‐sensitive proxy data are needed. In this paper, we used the tree‐ring cores of Pinus densata and Picea brachytyla from the southern Tibetan Plateau (TP) to establish a tree‐ring‐width composite chronology and estimate hydrological annual (September–August) precipitation (r2 = 47.0%, p &lt; 0.01) for the Lohit River basin from 1720 to 2019. Our reconstructed precipitation was closely linked with the glacier mass balance of Shishapangma peak, which may provide us with some evidence for glacier fluctuations in the southern TP. Our precipitation reconstruction successfully captured recent dry trends and generally agreed with other tree‐ring‐based precipitation reconstructions from nearby regions. In addition, reconstructed precipitation variations were inconsistent with recorded monsoon‐season Brahmaputra discharge.

Modelling the impact of climate change on the occurrence of frost damage in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) in Great Britain

Abstract Climate change is predicted to increase temperature and seasonal temperature variance in Great Britain (GB). Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr) is the most important tree species used in commercial plantations throughout Europe and GB. Frosts that occur outside the winter dormancy period can negatively affect trees, since they happen after dehardening. Damage can be especially severe at bud burst, before emerging needles mature and form protective barriers. Here, we modelled the impact of climate change on frost sensitivity in Sitka spruce with temperature data from five climate projections. The UKCP09 climate model HadRm3 uses emission scenario SRESA1B for the years 2020–2099. The global and downscaled versions of the UKCP18 HadGem3 model use the emissions scenario RCP 8.5. The global model CMCC-CM uses the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 emissions scenarios. The predictions based on these models were compared with results from gridded historical data for the period 1960–2015. Three indicators that assessed the frost sensitivity of Sitka spruce were explored: the total number of frosts between the onset of dehardening and the end of summer, which use three different temperature thresholds (Index 10°C, 1–3°C, 1–5°C); the total number of frosts after bud burst (Index 2); the number of days with minimum temperatures below the resistance level (backlashes) during the hardening–dehardening period (September–August) (Index 3). The indices were validated with historical data for frost damage across GB, and Index 1–3°C, Index 1–5°C and Index 3 were shown to be significantly correlated. The frequency of all frosts and backlashes is expected to decrease with climate change, especially under higher emissions scenarios. Post-bud burst frosts have been historically very rare in GB and remain so with climate change. Downscaled regional climate models detect geographic variability within GB and improve prediction of overall trends in frost damage in comparison to global climate change models for GB.

Baffin Bay sea ice inflow and outflow: 1978–1979 to 2016–2017

Abstract. Baffin Bay serves as a huge reservoir of sea ice which would provide the solid freshwater sources to the seas downstream. By employing satellite-derived sea ice motion and concentration fields, we obtain a nearly 40-year-long record (1978–1979 to 2016–2017) of the sea ice area flux through key fluxgates of Baffin Bay. Based on the estimates, the Baffin Bay sea ice area budget in terms of inflow and outflow are quantified and possible causes for its interannual variations and trends are analyzed. On average, the annual (September–August) inflows through the northern gate and Lancaster Sound are on the order of 205.8(±74.7)×103 km2 and 55.2(±17.8)×103 km2. In particular, a comparison with published results seems to suggest that about 75 %–85 % of the inflow through the northern gates is newly formed ice produced in the recurring North Water Polynya (NOW), in addition to the inflow via Nares Strait and Jones Sound. Meanwhile, the mean outflow via the southern gate approaches 394.3(±110.2)×103 km2. The distinct interannual variability for ice area flux through the northern gate and southern gate is partly explained by wind forcing associated with cross-gate sea level pressure difference, with correlations of 0.62 and 0.68, respectively. Also, significant increasing trends are found for the annual sea ice area flux through the three gates, amounting to 38.9×103, 82.2×103, and 7.5×103 km2 decade−1 for the northern gate, southern gate, and Lancaster Sound. These trends are chiefly related to the increasing ice motion, which is associated with thinner ice owing to the warmer climate (i.e., higher surface air temperature and shortened freezing period) and increased air and water drag coefficients over the past decades.

Tree-ring based annual precipitation reconstruction for the southern Three-River Headwaters region, China

Abstract Tree-ring width standard chronologies were created from Juniperus przewalskii Kom data collected in the southern Three-River Headwaters (TRH) region. Statistical analysis results showed high correlation between the first primary component (PC1) of the four chronologies and instrumental precipitation records during the annual September–August interval. Precipitation of the region was reconstructed for the past 461 years. It was verified that the reconstruction model was stable by split-sample calibration-verification statistics. The reconstruction series revealed 22 extremely dry years and 9 extremely wet years. Results showed relatively dry periods occurred during 1567–1597, 1604–1614, 1641–1656, 1684–1700, 1734–1755, 1817–1830, 1913–1932, 1953–1971, 1990–2005. Relatively wet periods occurred during 1615–1630, 1657–1683, 1701–1733, 1756–1786, 1798–1816, 1844–1855, 1864–1875, 1885–1912, 1933–1952, 1977–1989. Comparison with tree-ring based precipitation reconstructions, and chronologies from surrounding areas provided a high degree of confidence in our reconstruction, and correlated well with the Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas (MADA) dataset in the public section of corresponding grids. The empirical mode decomposition analysis suggests the existence of significant periods with intervals of 2–5, 6–10, 11–18, and 28–60 years. This research contributes to a better understanding of historical variations in precipitation and will aid in future plans to address climate change of the TRH region.

Open-label, cluster randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation of a brief letter from a GP on unscheduled medical contacts associated with the start of the school year: the PLEASANT trial

BackgroundAsthma is seasonal with peaks in exacerbation rates in school-age children associated with the return to school following the summer vacation. A drop in prescription collection in August is associated...

Effects of recent temperature variability and warming on the Oulu-Hailuoto ice road season in the northern Baltic Sea

In cold climate regions, ice roads are engineered as temporary winter transportation routes on frozen lakes, rivers and seas. The ice road season start, end and duration principally depend upon ice thickness, which is controlled by surface air temperature (SAT) in terms of freezing and thawing degree-days (FDD and TDD, respectively). Both FDD and TDD are indicators of climate variability and change, and are naturally influenced by large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns (ACPs). This study examined the role of ACPs in interannual variations in the operating season of the Oulu-Hailuoto ice road in the Bay of Bothnia, northern Baltic Sea, during 1974–2009. Significant (p < .05) shortening in duration of the ice road season, mainly attributable to later start and earlier end days, was observed. In the Oulu-Hailuoto area, maximum ice thickness showed significant declines over time. This sea ice thinning was associated with SAT warming in cold months, manifested by statistically significant decreases in cumulative FDD during October–January within the water year (September–August). Significant increases in cumulative TDD during February–April, reflecting warmer SAT in mild months, resulted in earlier end day for the Oulu-Hailuoto ice road season. The Arctic Oscillation (AO) was the most influential ACP for variations in cumulative FDD (October–January), and accordingly for sea ice thickness and start day of the Oulu-Hailuoto ice road season. However, cumulative TDD (February–April) showed significant positive correlations with the East Atlantic (EA) pattern, which also controlled the end day of the Oulu-Hailuoto ice road season.

158: ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF SEARCH STRATEGIES IN DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM (DSS) SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS

Background and aims:Search strategies play a major role in developing a systematic review. A comprehensive literature search dramatically reduces publication bias. The higher sensitive search leads to a more well-prepared...

157: ASSESSING THE METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY OF DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM (DSS) SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS BY AMSTAR CHECKLIST

Background and aims:It is all accepted that high-quality evidence is essential for clinical decision making. As Haynes “6S pyramid”, systems including decision support systems are at the top of this...

An Updated Blizzard Climatology of the Contiguous United States (1959–2014): An Examination of Spatiotemporal Trends

AbstractBlizzards are extreme winter storms that are defined by strong winds and falling or blowing snow that significantly reduces visibility for an extended period of time. For the conterminous United States, blizzard occurrence by county was compiled from Storm Data for 55 winter seasons from 1959/60 to 2013/14. Spatiotemporal patterns were examined for blizzard seasons (September–August) at annual, decadal, and monthly frequencies. Linear regression and spectral analysis were used to detect any blizzard cycles or trends. Societal impacts such as fatalities, injuries, property damage, and federal disaster declarations were also tallied. Data revealed 713 blizzards over the 55 years, with a mean of 13 events per season. Seasonal blizzard frequency ranged from one blizzard in 1980/81 to 32 blizzards in 2007/08. The average area per blizzard was 83 474 km2, or approximately the size of South Carolina. Blizzard probabilities ranged from 1.8% to 76.4%, with a distinct blizzard zone in North Dakota, western Minnesota, and northern South Dakota. Every month except July, August, and September has reported blizzards with a peak occurrence in December and January. Federal disaster declarations resulting from blizzards totaled 57, with more than one-half of them occurring in the twenty-first century. Storm Data attributed 711 fatalities during the 55-yr study period, with an average of one individual per event; 2044 injuries were reported, with a mean of nearly three per blizzard. Property damage totaled approximately $9.11 billion in unadjusted dollars, with an approximate mean of $12.6 million per storm.

PLEASANT: Preventing and Lessening Exacerbations of Asthma in School-age children Associated with a New Term - a cluster randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation.

Asthma episodes and deaths are known to be seasonal. A number of reports have shown peaks in asthma episodes in school-aged children associated with the return to school following the summer vacation. A fall in prescription collection in the month of August has been observed, and was associated with an increase in the number of unscheduled contacts after the return to school in September. The primary objective of the study was to assess whether or not a NHS-delivered public health intervention reduces the September peak in unscheduled medical contacts. Cluster randomised trial, with the unit of randomisation being 142 NHS general practices, and trial-based economic evaluation. Primary care. A letter sent (n = 70 practices) in July from their general practitioner (GP) to parents/carers of school-aged children with asthma to remind them of the importance of taking their medication, and to ensure that they have sufficient medication prior to the start of the new school year in September. The control group received usual care. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of children aged 5-16 years who had an unscheduled medical contact in September 2013. Supporting end points included the proportion of children who collected prescriptions in August 2013 and unscheduled contacts through the following 12 months. Economic end points were quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained and costs from an NHS and Personal Social Services perspective. There is no evidence of effect in terms of unscheduled contacts in September. Among children aged 5-16 years, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.09 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96 to 1.25] against the intervention. The intervention did increase the proportion of children collecting a prescription in August (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.64) as well as scheduled contacts in the same month (OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.52). For the wider time intervals (September-December 2013 and September-August 2014), there is weak evidence of the intervention reducing unscheduled contacts. The intervention did not reduce unscheduled care in September, although it succeeded in increasing the proportion of children collecting prescriptions in August as well as having scheduled contacts in the same month. These unscheduled contacts in September could be a result of the intervention, as GPs may have wanted to see patients before issuing a prescription. The economic analysis estimated a high probability that the intervention was cost-saving, for baseline-adjusted costs, across both base-case and sensitivity analyses. There was no increase in QALYs. The use of routine data led to uncertainty in the coding of medical contacts. The uncertainty was mitigated by advice from a GP adjudication panel. The intervention did not reduce unscheduled care in September, although it succeeded in increasing the proportion of children both collecting prescriptions and having scheduled contacts in August. After September there is weak evidence in favour of the intervention. The intervention had a favourable impact on costs but did not demonstrate any impact on QALYs. The results of the trial indicate that further work is required on assessing and understanding adherence, both in terms of using routine data to make quantitative assessments, and through additional qualitative interviews with key stakeholders such as practice nurses, GPs and a wider group of children with asthma. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN03000938. This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 93. See the HTA programme website for further project information.

Seasonal variation in cod feeding and growth in a changing sea

Seasonal variation in feeding and growth of 3- to 9-year-old Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) was studied using data from joint Norwegian–Russian surveys in January–March (winter survey) and September–August (ecosystem survey) in the Barents Sea. The study encompassed the warmest period on record, with large cod stock and both low (2004–2007) and high (2008–2013) abundance of Barents Sea cod’s main prey, capelin (Mallotus villosus). Feeding on capelin was most important in winter. Energy acquisition (kJ·day−1) was higher during fall, but in years with high capelin abundance the seasonal difference was smaller. There was no difference in energy acquisition in years with high and low capelin abundance, underpinning recent findings on decoupling between capelin abundance and cod demography. Compensatory feeding on alternative prey takes place in fall, but not in winter. These findings were consistent across age groups. The results found for energy acquisition was mirrored in growth; in years with low capelin abundance, there was a seasonal difference in growth, whereas in years with high capelin abundance, the difference was absent.

Tree-ring reconstruction of the level of Great Salt Lake, USA

Utah’s Great Salt Lake (GSL) is a closed-basin remnant of the larger Pleistocene-age Lake Bonneville. The modern instrumental record of the GSL-level (i.e. elevation) change is strongly modulated by Pacific Ocean coupled ocean/atmospheric oscillations at low frequency, and therefore reflects the decadal-scale wet/dry cycles that characterize the region. A within-basin network of seven tree-ring chronologies was developed to reconstruct the GSL water year (September–August) level, based upon the instrumental record of GSL level from 1876 to 2005. The result was a 576-year reconstruction of the GSL level that extends from 1429 to 2005; all calibration-verification tests commonly used in dendroclimatology were passed. The reconstruction explains 48% of the variance in the instrumental GSL level and exhibits significant periodicity at sub-decadal scales over the past six centuries. Meanwhile, predominance of multi-decadal periodicity in the early half of the record shifted to quasi-decadal dominance in the latter half, and this is consistent with that of proxy reconstructions of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The GSL-level reconstruction is a crucial component to improving our insight into the possible controls of coupled ocean-atmosphere interactions on precipitation delivery.

Strip cropping of alternating perennial grass–clover and annual rye–vetch intercrops when grown within an organic farming system

A field experiment was carried out including alternating perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)–clover (Trifolium repens+Trifolium pretense L.) pasture mix with annual winter rye (Secale cereale L.)–vetch (Vicia villosa L.) intercrops. The annuals were established after soil incorporation of a 1st-year grass–clover in a 6-m wide strip as both inter- (IC) and sole crops (SC): (1) rye SC, (2) vetch SC and (3) rye–vetch IC. The perennial strips were established without incorporating the 1st-year grass–clover in an equivalent 6-m wide strip. This resulted in an early interspecific competitive advantage for the perennial strip and especially limiting growth of the rye component. Relative clover proportion in the sward increased with increasing distance to the annual strip indicating more available soil mineral N in the interface between the perennial and the annual strip. Compensative growth of the grass–clover when grown in close proximity to the annual strip was only partly counterbalancing the decreased total crop productivity in the rye–vetch intercrop. Across the whole growing season (September–August) approximately the same amount of biomass was produced when dividing the field into strips (6m×6m) as compared to growing the same area with the traditional single-field cropping strategy. There was a greater total aboveground plant N uptake in sole cropped vetch and the rye–vetch intercrop compared to the rye sole crop due to vetch N2-fixation, but with severe vetch-growth depression when intercropped. The amount of vetch-N2 fixed was reduced with about 9gNm−2 when intercropped as compared to the sole cropping situation. Light interception by the annual crop when grown in close proximity to the grass–clover strip was reduced due to the lower aboveground biomass yield and assumed belowground competitive interactions. Less soil water content below the perennial strip indicated greater water uptake, than below the annual strips. Unfortunately, the present strip cropping system did not possess the right balance of co-existence and complementarity. However, from a practical point of view the system was manageable indicating potentials to diversify agricultural fields and develop future cropping systems which are more complex and thereby resilient to externalities.

Trends in antibiotic use in Massachusetts children, 2000-2009.

Antibiotic use rates have declined dramatically since the 1990s. We aimed to determine if, when, and at what level the decline in antibiotic-dispensing rates ended and which diagnoses contributed to the trends. Antibiotic dispensings and diagnoses were obtained from 2 health insurers for 3- to <72-month-olds in 16 Massachusetts communities from 2000 to 2009. Population-based antibiotic-dispensing rates per person-year (p-y) were determined according to year (September-August) for 3 age groups. Fit statistics were used to identify the most likely year for a change in trend. Rates for the first and last years were compared according to antibiotic category and associated diagnosis. From 2000-2001 to 2008-2009, the antibiotic-dispensing rate for 3- to <24-month-olds decreased 24% (2.3-1.8 antibiotic dispensings per p-y); for 24- to <48-month-olds, it decreased 18% (1.6-1.3 antibiotic dispensings per p-y); and for 48- to <72-month-olds, it decreased 20% (1.4-1.1 antibiotic dispensings per p-y). For 3- to <48-month-olds, rates declined until 2004-2005 and remained stable thereafter; the downward trend for 48- to <72-month-olds ended earlier in 2001-2002. Among 3- to <24-month-olds, first-line penicillin use declined 26%. For otitis media, the dispensing rate decreased 14% and the diagnosis rate declined 9%, whereas the treatment fraction was stable at 63%. The downward trend in antibiotic dispensings to young children in these communities ended by 2004-2005. This trend was driven by a declining otitis media diagnosis rate. Continued monitoring of population-based dispensing rates will support efforts to avoid returning to previous levels of antibiotic overuse.

Snow accumulation, melt, mass loss, and the near-surface ice temperature structure of Irenebreen, Svalbard

This study examines the mass balance, accumulation, melt, and near-surface ice thermal structure of Irenebreen, a 4.1 km 2 glacier located in northwest Spitsbergen, Svalbard. Traditional glaciological mass balance measurements by stake readings and snow surveying have been conducted annually at the glacier since 2002, yielding a mean annual net mass balance of −65 cm w.e. for the period 2002–2009. In 2009, the annual mass balance of Irenebreen was −63 cm w.e. despite above-average snow accumulation in winter. The near-surface ice temperature in the accumulation area was investigated with automatic borehole thermistors. The mean annual surface ice temperatures (September–August) of the accumulation area were −3.7 °C at 1 m depth and −3.3 °C at 10 m depth. Irenebreen is potentially polythermal, with cold ice and a temperate surface layer during summer. This temperate surface layer is influenced by seasonal changes in temperature. In winter, the temperature of all the ice is below the melting point and temperate layers are probably present in basal sections of the glacier. This supposition is supported by the presence of icings in the forefield of Irenebreen.

High resolution modelling of snow transport in complex terrain using downscaled MM5 wind fields

Abstract. Snow transport is one of the most dominant processes influencing the snow cover accumulation and ablation in high mountain environments. Hence, the spatial and temporal variability of the snow cover is significantly modified with respective consequences on the total amount of water in the snow pack, on the temporal dynamics of the runoff and on the energy balance of the surface. For the present study we used the snow transport model SnowModel in combination with MM5 (Penn State University – National Center for Atmospheric Research MM5 model) generated wind fields. In a first step the MM5 wind fields were downscaled by using a semi-empirical approach which accounts for the elevation difference of model and real topography, and vegetation. The target resolution of 30 m corresponds to the resolution of the best available DEM and land cover map of the test site Berchtesgaden National Park. For the numerical modelling, data of six automatic meteorological stations were used, comprising the winter season (September–August) of 2003/04 and 2004/05. In addition we had automatic snow depth measurements and periodic manual measurements of snow courses available for the validation of the results. It could be shown that the model performance of SnowModel could be improved by using downscaled MM5 wind fields for the test site. Furthermore, it was shown that an estimation of snow transport from surrounding areas to glaciers becomes possible by using downscaled MM5 wind fields.

Mass balance observations at Mittivakkat Glacier, Ammassalik Island, Southeast Greenland 1995–2006

Geografisk Tidsskrift, Danish Journal of Geography 108(1):111–120, 2008 Measurements of mass balance were made at Mittivakkat Glacier, Ammassalik Island, Southeast Greenland during the period 1995–2006 using the stake method, usually called the direct glaciological method, for determining the net accumulation and ablation of snow and ice during the accumulation(September—May) and ablation (June-August) period, and the net mass balance year (September—August). For the period 1995–2006, mean values of measured winter, summer and net balance were 1.19 m, -1.96 m and–0.78 m, respectively. The measurements showed that 9 out of 11 balance years had a negative balance and 2 balance years had a slightly positive balance. The cumulative mass balance during the period 1995—2006 was -8.1 m w. eq., corresponding to a mass loss of about 7% of the total glacier ice volume determined in 1994. The observations also showed that during 4 balance years the mass balance was negative on the entire glacier. A comparison between modelled surface mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and mass balance at Mittivakkat Glacier showed the same tendency during individual years for the period 1991–2004.