Universität zu Köln

Gossart, Alexandra ORCID: 0000-0002-1927-2685, Souverijns, Niels ORCID: 0000-0003-4695-9754, Gorodetskaya, Irina V., Lhermitte, Stef ORCID: 0000-0002-1622-0177, Lenaerts, Jan T. M., Schween, Jan H., Mangold, Alexander, Laffineur, Quentin and van Lipzig, Nicole P. M. (2017). Blowing snow detection from ground-based ceilometers: application to East Antarctica. Cryosphere, 11 (6). S. 2755 - 2773. GOTTINGEN: COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH. ISSN 1994-0424

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Blowing snow impacts Antarctic ice sheet surface mass balance by snow redistribution and sublimation. However, numerical models poorly represent blowing snow processes, while direct observations are limited in space and time. Satellite retrieval of blowing snow is hindered by clouds and only the strongest events are considered. Here, we develop a blowing snow detection (BSD) algorithm for ground-based remote-sensing ceilometers in polar regions and apply it to ceilometers at Neumayer III and Princess Elisabeth (PE) stations, East Antarctica. The algorithm is able to detect (heavy) blowing snow layers reaching 30m height. Results show that 78% of the detected events are in agreement with visual observations at Neumayer III station. The BSD algorithm detects heavy blowing snow 36% of the time at Neumayer (2011-2015) and 13% at PE station (20102016). Blowing snow occurrence peaks during the austral winter and shows around 5% interannual variability. The BSD algorithm is capable of detecting blowing snow both lifted from the ground and occurring during precipitation, which is an added value since results indicate that 92% of the blowing snow is during synoptic events, often combined with precipitation. Analysis of atmospheric meteorological variables shows that blowing snow occurrence strongly depends on fresh snow availability in addition to wind speed. This finding challenges the commonly used parametrizations, where the threshold for snow particles to be lifted is a function of wind speed only. Blowing snow occurs predominantly during storms and overcast conditions, shortly after precipitation events, and can reach up to 1300ma:g:l: in the case of heavy mixed events (precipitation and blowing snow together). These results suggest that synoptic conditions play an important role in generating blowing snow events and that fresh snow availability should be considered in determining the blowing snow onset.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Gossart, Alexandra UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-1927-2685 UNSPECIFIED Souverijns, Niels UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0003-4695-9754 UNSPECIFIED Gorodetskaya, Irina V. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Lhermitte, Stef UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-1622-0177 UNSPECIFIED Lenaerts, Jan T. M. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Schween, Jan H. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Mangold, Alexander UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Laffineur, Quentin UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED van Lipzig, Nicole P. M. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-208161
DOI:	10.5194/tc-11-2755-2017
Journal or Publication Title:	Cryosphere
Volume:	11
Number:	6
Page Range:	S. 2755 - 2773
Date:	2017
Publisher:	COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
Place of Publication:	GOTTINGEN
ISSN:	1994-0424
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language SURFACE MASS-BALANCE; THRESHOLD WIND-SPEEDS; MIXING-LAYER HEIGHT; DRONNING MAUD LAND; ADELIE LAND; SNOWDRIFT SUBLIMATION; DRIFTING SNOW; LIDAR; TRANSPORT; AEROSOL Multiple languages Geography, Physical; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/20816