Surface mass balance of glaciers in the French Alps: distributed modeling and sensitivity to climate change

摘要: A new physically based distributed surface mass-balance model is presented for Alpine glaciers. Based on the Crocus prognostic snow model, it resolves both temporal (1 hour time-step) and spatial (200 m grid-step) variability of energy mass balance Mass-balance reconstructions period 1981-2004 are produced using meteorological reconstruction from SAFRAN Glacier de Saint-Sorlin d'Argentiere, French Alps. Both glaciers lost at an accelerated rate in last 23 years. The distribution precipitation within grid adjusted field measurements. This only correction made to input glacier which also includes atmospheric temperature, moisture, wind all components downward radiation. Independent data satellite imagery geodetic measurements used validation. With this sensitivity climate change can be separately evaluated with respect a full range parameters, whereas simpler models, such as degree-day account temperature precipitation. We provide results equilibrium-line altitude (ELA) generic glacier. ELA air alone found 125 °C−1, or 160 °C−1 if concurrent (Stefan-Boltzmann) longwave radiation taken into account.