Modelling the Evolution of Arctic Melt Ponds

ISBN-13: 9783639221558 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 224 str.

Fern Scott

Opis

An accurate estimate of the fraction of the Arctic upper sea-ice surface covered in melt ponds during the summer melt season is essential for a realistic estimate of the albedo for global climate models. Presented here is a melt-pond-sea-ice model that simulates the evolution of melt ponds across an Arctic sea-ice surface. Thermodynamic processes are modelled using the mushy-layer equations in sea ice, heat diffusion equations in snow and using assumptions of turbulent heat flux in melt ponds, along with a three-layer two-stream radiation model. There is a realistic hydraulic balance and drainage rates of melt water through the ice are calculated using Darcys Law. The model is initialised with ice and snow topographies that represent conditions on first-year and multi-year ice. Simulations confirmed observed differences in individual pond size and depth between first-year and multi-year ice. Sensitivity studies showed that pond fraction is most sensitive to mean initial snow depth on first-year ice and reduction in ice permeability in all cases.

O autorze

Fern Scott was awarded an MSci in mathematics by University College, London in 2004. She completed her PhD at the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling also at University College London. Her interests include the physics of sea ice and small scale modelling.