ENSO and Light-Absorbing Impurities and Their Impact on Snow Albedo in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

Abstract

Snow albedo is an important variable in the coupled atmosphere-earth system at the global level. Moreover, studying its behavior allows us to know the state of the cryosphere. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) is a glacier area and the northernmost tropical (10.82° N, 73.75° W) region in South America. It has a height of up to 5775 m.a.sl., which is the second highest mountain in the world near the marine coast. We analyzed variations in snow albedo related to snow cover, snowfall, temperature, light-absorbing impurities such as blank carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC) and dust, and El Niño—Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon through 20 years (2000–2020). We mainly use daily data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the Terra and Aqua NASA satellites. Results showed through correlations that snow albedo has decreased due to Land Surface Temperature (55%, p < 0.001), a positive phase of ENSO (42%, p < 0.001) and dust (37%, p < 0.01) in the SNSM. Additionally, a dust negative effect was more evident on the southern side (up to 49%, p < 0.001) of the SNSM. Backward trajectories by the NOAA HYSPLIT model suggest that dust sources would be soil erosion in the surrounding region. Results can help recognize the influence of ENSO and dust in the glacier decrease of the SNSM.

Snow Albedo Reduction in the Colombian Andes Mountains Due to 2000 to 2020 Saharan Dust Intrusions Events

“…Although the most important LAPs in the reduction of Albedo snow are Black Carbon and Organic Carbon and Mineral Dust [74][75][76][77][78]. Previous studies in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia [47] have shown that dust can reduce snow albedo up to 41% (p < 0.001), while the combination of Black Carbon and Organic Carbon and Mineral Dust only 29% (p < 0.05). This shows the importance that Mineral Dust can have in the reduction of snow albedo in Colombian tropical glaciers.…”

“…In tropical glaciers in South America [47,48], measurements of light-absorbing particles in surface snow are mainly concentrated in the Cordillera Blanca, and limited information is available on their chemical composition (carbonaceous or mineral components), whereas records of powdered ice cores have been investigated in several sectors of the Andes, including in the Cordillera Blanca, Cordillera Oriental, and Cordillera Real [49]. Meteorological measurements at glacier elevation (>4800 m a.s.l.)…”

“…However, the impact of mineral dust on snow albedo variation in Colombian glaciers has been little studied. Only one study carried out in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (northern Colombia) for the months of June (2000-2020) has been reported in the literature, which found a negative correlation of 31% (p < 0.05) between snow albedo and mineral dust (p < 0.05) [47].…”