Using daily air temperature thresholds to evaluate snow melting occurrence and amount on Alpine glaciers by &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;T&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;-index models: the case study of the Forni Glacier (Italy)

Senese, Antonella; Maugeri, Maurizio; Vuillermoz, E.; Smiraglia, Claudio; Diolaiuti, Guglielmina

doi:10.5194/tc-8-1921-2014

Cited by 30 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…We also observed that cryoconite holes seldom persist for a whole ablation season on the surface of the Forni Glacier. Indeed, melting rate was high on the tongue of the Forni Glacier during the ablation season 2013, and led to the loss of 6 m of ice in the sampled area (Senese et al, 2014). Consequently, a large number of cryoconite holes disappeared between consecutive visits to the glacier (A. Franzetti and R.S.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an alpine glacier

Franzetti

Navarra

Tagliaferri

et al. 2017

Environ Microbiol Rep

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Cryoconite holes, that is, small ponds that form on glacier surface, are considered the most biologically active environments on glaciers. Bacterial communities in these environments have been extensively studied, but often through snapshot studies based on the assumption of a general stability of community structure. In this study, the temporal variation of bacterial communities in cryoconite holes on the Forni Glacier (Italian Alps) was investigated by high throughput DNA sequencing. A temporal change of bacterial communities was observed with autotrophic Cyanobacteria populations dominating communities after snowmelt, and heterotrophic Sphingobacteriales populations increasing in abundance later in the season. Bacterial communities also varied according to hole depth and area, amount of organic matter in the cryoconite and oxygen concentration. However, variation in environmental features explained a lower fraction of the variation in bacterial communities than temporal variation. Temporal change along ablation season seems therefore more important than local environmental conditions in shaping bacterial communities of cryoconite of the Forni Glacier. These findings challenge the assumption that bacterial communities of cryoconite holes are stable.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Glacier elevation ranges between 2600 and 3670 m a.s.l. The ablation season spans from early July to late September, as assessed by the data from an automatic weather station operating on the glacier (Supporting Information; see also Senese et al, 2014).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an alpine glacier

Franzetti

Navarra

Tagliaferri

et al. 2017

Environ Microbiol Rep

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“…Snow melt is primarily controlled by AirT and the radiation balance at the surface (Ohmura, 2001). Melting is further influenced by the refreezing of meltwater within the snowpack and the percolation of rain and surface runoff into the snow (Pomeroy and Brun, 2001;Senese et al, 2014). Because point-specific data on radiation, precipitation, snow density and albedo are usually lacking, only very simple models are suitable to quantify the snow melt in high-alpine terrains.…”

Section: Approximation Of Smrs and Maximal Snow Depthsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…AirT is the proxy of choice since it partly integrates many components of the energy balance and may be extrapolated over distances of 10-100 km with reasonable uncertainty (Tardivo and Berti, 2012;Lang and Braun, 1990). Degree-day and energy balance approaches approximating snow melt have been developed and successfully applied in hydrological modelling (Hock, 2003;Lehning et al, 2006;Martinec, 1960) and glacier mass balance studies (Braithwaite and Zhang, 2000;Pellicciotti et al, 2005;Senese et al, 2014). However, the absolute accuracy of such a degree-day model is limited due to simplifications (e.g.…”

Section: Approximation Of Smrs and Maximal Snow Depthsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Near-Surface Ground Temperature Data to Derive Snow Insulation and Melt Indices for Mountain Permafrost Applications

Staub

Delaloye

2016

Permafrost and Periglac. Process.

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The timing and duration of snow cover in areas of mountain permafrost affect the ground thermal regime by thermally insulating the ground from the atmosphere and modifying the radiation balance at the surface. Snow depth records, however, are sparse in high-mountain terrains. Here, we present data processing techniques to approximate the thermal insulation effect of snow cover. We propose some simple 'snow thermal insulation indices' using daily and weekly variations in ground surface temperatures (GSTs), as well as a 'snow melt index' that approximates the snow melt rate using a degree-day approach with air temperature during the zero curtain period. The indices consider pointspecific characteristics and allow the reconstruction of past snow thermal conditions and snow melt rates using long GST time series. The application of these indices to GST monitoring data from the Swiss Alps revealed large spatial and temporal variability in the start and duration of the high-insulation period by snow and in the snow melt rate.

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“…The albedo for clean ice and snow was set to 0.26, and 0.75, as from Vuillermoz et al [70]. T th is an air temperature threshold (−5 • C here as from data analysis, see [71]). The snow height (HS) data collected at Pyramid during 2003-2012 were used to initially calibrate the snow melt factors, TMF s and RMF s .…”

Section: Ice and Snow Ablation And Accumulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field Study of Mass Balance, and Hydrology of the West Khangri Nup Glacier (Khumbu, Everest)

Bocchiola

Bombelli

Camin

et al. 2020

Water

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The depiction of glaciers’ dynamics in the high altitudes of Himalaya and the hydrological fluxes therein is often limited. Although sparse seasonal (snow/ice) melt data may be available, dense precipitation networks are not available everywhere, and especially in the highest area, and the assessment of accumulation processes and mass balance may be difficult. Hydrological fluxes are little measured in the high altitudes, and few studies are available covering flow modeling and flow partitioning. Here, we investigate the snow accumulation, ice melt, and mass balance of West Khangri Nup (WKN) glacier (0.23 km2, mean altitude 5494 m asl), which is a part of the Khumbu glacier in the Everest region, where information of precipitation and hydro-glaciological dynamics in the highest altitudes was made available recently in fulfillment of several research projects. Weather, glaciological, snow pits, hydrologic, and isotopic data gathered during field campaigns (2010–2014) on the glacier and at the EVK2CNR Pyramid site were used to (i) set up the Poli-Hydro glacio-hydrological model to describe ice and snow melt and hydrological flows from the glacier, and (ii) investigate seasonal snow dynamics on this high region of the glacier. Coupling ice ablation data and Poli-Hydro simulation for ca. 5 years (January 2010–June 2014), we estimate that the WKN depleted ca. −10.46 m of ice water equivalent per year m IWE year−1 (i.e., annually ca. −2.32 meter of water equivalent per year m WE year−1). Then, using snowpack density and isotopic (δ18O) profiles on the WKN, we demonstrate that the local snowpack is recent (Fall–Winter 2013–2014) and that significant snow accumulation did not occur recently, so this area has not been a significant one of accumulation recently. Analysis of recent snow cover from LANDSAT images also confirms snow dynamics as depicted. Our study presents original data and results, and it complements present studies covering glaciers’ mass balance as well as an investigation of accumulation zones in the Everest region and the Himalayas, which is also potentially helpful in the assessment of future dynamics under ongoing climate change.

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Using daily air temperature thresholds to evaluate snow melting occurrence and amount on Alpine glaciers by <i>T</i>-index models: the case study of the Forni Glacier (Italy)

Cited by 30 publications

References 21 publications

Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an alpine glacier

Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an alpine glacier

Using Near-Surface Ground Temperature Data to Derive Snow Insulation and Melt Indices for Mountain Permafrost Applications

Field Study of Mass Balance, and Hydrology of the West Khangri Nup Glacier (Khumbu, Everest)

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