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Project

Changes in surface properties of the Greenland ice sheetand their impact on climate modeling.

The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) has shown significant mass loss in the last decade due to increased melting and discharge. Since solar radiation is the most important source for melt energy, the ice sheet surface albedo, determined by the surface properties, plays a crucial role in the surface energy budget, as it controls the amount of radiation that is reflected. In this context, albedo reductions due to changes in surface properties are evident in recent years over large parts of the ice sheet, increasing solar energy absorption and promoting melt water production. Despite the importance of these surface albedo processes, climate models still struggle to accurately represent the surface albedo. For the GrIS, for example, the albedo parameterization is the largest source of uncertainty in estimates of the surface mass balance. Understanding the spatio-temporal patterns in surface properties and properly representing them in climate models therefore is paramount to ensure the realism of future climate projections. The proposed project will use a retrieval algorithm for snow/ice properties from satellite imagery to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of surface properties over the GrIS. This will improve the understanding of the current darkening of the GrIS and its albedo-melt forcing. Finally, it will allow parameterization of the processes that drive this forcing more accurately and will improve estimates of surface mass balance in regional climate models.

Date:1 Oct 2013 →  1 Aug 2016
Keywords:Greenland ice sheet
Disciplines:Design theories and methods, Mechanics, Other mechanical and manufacturing engineering