#jsDisabledContent { display:none; } My Account | Register | Help

 Add to Book Shelf Flag as Inappropriate This book will be permanently flagged as inappropriate and made unaccessible to everyone. Are you certain this book is inappropriate?          Excessive Violence          Sexual Content          Political / Social Email this Book Email Address:

# Micrometeorological Conditions and Surface Mass and Energy Fluxes on Lewis Glacier, Mt Kenya, in Relation to Other Tropical Glaciers : Volume 6, Issue 6 (14/12/2012)

## By Nicholson, L.

Book Id: WPLBN0004022779
File Size: Pages 44
Reproduction Date: 2015

 Title: Micrometeorological Conditions and Surface Mass and Energy Fluxes on Lewis Glacier, Mt Kenya, in Relation to Other Tropical Glaciers : Volume 6, Issue 6 (14/12/2012) Author: Nicholson, L. Volume: Vol. 6, Issue 6 Language: English Subject: Collections: Historic Publication Date: 2012 Publisher: Copernicus Gmbh, Göttingen, Germany Member Page: Copernicus Publications Citation APA MLA Chicago Mölg, T., Kaser, G., Nicholson, L., & Prinz, R. (2012). Micrometeorological Conditions and Surface Mass and Energy Fluxes on Lewis Glacier, Mt Kenya, in Relation to Other Tropical Glaciers : Volume 6, Issue 6 (14/12/2012). Retrieved from http://www.ebooklibrary.org/

Description
Description: Center for Climate and Cryosphere, Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, Innsbruck, Austria. The Lewis Glacier on Mt Kenya is one of the best-studied tropical glaciers, but full understanding of the interaction of the glacier mass balance and climate forcing has been hampered by a lack of long term meteorological data. Here we present 2.5 yr of meteorological data collected from the glacier surface from October 2009–February 2012, which indicate that mean meteorological conditions in the upper zone of Lewis Glacier are comparable to those experienced in the ablation zones of South American tropical glaciers. In the context of other glaciated mountains of equatorial east Africa, the summit zone of Mt Kenya shows strong diurnal cycles of convective cloud development as opposed to the Rwenzoris where cloud cover persists throughout the diurnal cycle and Kilimanjaro where clear skies prevail. Surface energy fluxes were calculated for the meteorological station site using a physical mass- and energy-balance model driven by hourly measured meteorological data and additional input parameters that were determined by Monte Carlo optimization. Sublimation rate was lower than those reported on other tropical glaciers and melt rate was high throughout the year, with the glacier surface reaching the melting point on an almost daily basis. Surface mass balance is influenced by both solid precipitation and air temperature, with radiation providing the greatest net source of energy to the surface. Cloud cover typically reduces the net radiation balance compared to clear sky conditions, and thus the more frequent formation of convective clouds over the summit of Mt Kenya, and the associated higher rate of snow accumulation are important in limiting the rate of mass loss from the glacier surface. The analyses shown here are the basis for glacier-wide mass and energy balance modeling to determine the climate proxy offered by the glaciers of Mt Kenya.

Summary
Micrometeorological conditions and surface mass and energy fluxes on Lewis glacier, Mt Kenya, in relation to other tropical glaciers

Excerpt
Anderson, P. S.: A method for rescaling humidity sensors at temperatures well below freezing, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 11, 1388–1391, 1994.; Bintanja, R. and van den Broeke, M. R.: The surface energy balance of Antarctic snow and blue ice, J. Appl. Meteorol., 34, 902–926, 1995.; Bradley, R., Keimig, F. T., Diaz, H. F., and Hardy, D. R.: Recent changes in freezing level heights in the Tropics with implications for the deglacierization of high mountain regions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L17701, doi:10.1029/2009GL037712, 2009.; Brock, B. W., Willis, I. C., and Sharp, M. J.: Measurement and parameterization of aerodynamic roughness length variations at Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, J. Glaciol., 52, 281–297, 2006.; Chan, R. Y., Vuille, M., Hardy, D. R., and Bradley, R.: Intraseasonal precipitation variability on Kilimanjaro and the East African region and its relationship to the large-scale circulation, Theor. Appl. Climatol., 93, 149–165, 2008.; Cullen, N. J., Mölg, T., Kaser, G., Hussein, K., Steffen, K., and Hardy, D. R.: Kilimanjaro Glaciers: Recent areal extent from satellite data and new interpretation of observed 20th century retreat rates, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L16502, doi:10.1029/2006gl027084, 2006.; Cullen, N. J., Sirguey, P., Mölg, T., Kaser, G., Winkler, M., and Fitzsimons, S. J.: A century of ice retreat on Kilimanjaro: the mapping reloaded, The Cryosphere Discuss., 6, 4233–4265, doi:10.5194/tcd-6-4233-2012, 2012.; Dai, A. and Wang, J.: Diurnal and semidiurnal tides in global surface pressure fields, J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 3874–3891, 1999.; Davies, T. D., Brimblecombe, P., and Vincent, C. E.: The daily cycle of weather on Mount Kenya, Weather, 32, 406–417, 1981.; Favier, V., Wagnon, P., and Ribstein, P.: Glaciers of the outer and inner tropics: A different behaviour but a common response to climatic forcing, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L16403, doi:10.1029/2004gl020654, 2004a.; Favier, V., Wagnon, P., Chazarin, J. P., Maisincho, L., and Coudrain, A.: One-year measurements of surface heat budget on the ablation zone of Antizana Glacier 15, Ecuadorian Andes, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 109, D18105, doi:10.1029/2003jd004359, 2004b.; Francou, B., Vuille, M., Favier, V., and Caceres, B.: New evidence for an ENSO impact on low-latitude glaciers: Antizana 15, Andes of Ecuador, 0{\degree}28${^\prime}$ S, J. Geophys. Res., 109, D18106, doi:10.1029/2003JD004484, 2004.; Funk, C., Dettinger, M. D., Michaelsen, J. C., Verdin, J. P., Brown, M. E., Barlow, M., and Hoell, A.: Warming of the Indian Ocean threatens eastern and southern African food security but could be mitigated by agricultural development, P. Natl. Acad. Sci., 105, 11081–11086, 2008.; Georges, C. and Kaser, G.: Ventilated and unventilated air temperature measurements for glacier-climate studies on a tropical high mountain site, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 4775, doi: