VARIATIONS OF NEAR-SURFACE FIRN DENSITY IN THE LOWER ACCUMULATION AREA OF THE GREENLAND ICE-SHEET, PAKITSOQ, WEST GREENLAND

被引:80
作者
BRAITHWAITE, RJ
LATERNSER, M
PFEFFER, WT
机构
[1] ETH ZENTRUM,VERSUCHSANSTALT WASSERBAU HYDROL & GLAZIOL,CH-8092 ZURICH,SWITZERLAND
[2] UNIV COLORADO,INST ARCTIC & ALPINE RES,BOULDER,CO 80309
关键词
D O I
10.3189/S002214300001234X
中图分类号
P9 [自然地理学];
学科分类号
0705 ; 070501 ;
摘要
Firn-density variations have been studied in the lower accumulation area of the Greenland ice sheet (1440-1620 m a.s.l.) near Pakitsoq, West Greenland. The main control on density in the near-surface firn layer (of 5-10 m thickness) is the formation of ice layers by the refreezing of meltwater that reaches depths of 2-4 m below the surface. The density variations are described by the ratio of annual surface melt M to the annual accumulation C. The ratio M/C is about 0.6 at the run-off limit (at about 1400 m a.s.l. in the study area) where refreezing of meltwater transforms snow into impermeable ice. The mean density of near-surface firn decreases with elevation, reflecting a decrease in melt with elevation. There is a surprising decrease in firn density at depths of more than about 4 m below the 1991 summer surface, which reflects lower melt rates and/or higher accumulation in the early 1980s and late 1970s when this firn was passing through the surface layer. The formation of such low-density firn may have partially contributed to the 1978-85 thickening of the ice sheet observed by satellite-radar altimetry. Near-surface firn density is therefore very sensitive to climate change and might be an attractive target for climate monitoring.
引用
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页码:477 / 485
页数:9
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