2002 ARCSS All-Hands Workshop

A comparison of climate and surface energy balance during spring melt at three Arctic sites (Spitsbergen, Siberia, Alaska)

Julia Boike¹, Larry D. Hinzman², Paul P. Overduin³, Kurt Roth⁴, Olaf Ippisch⁵, Vladimir Romanovsky^6
1Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 441 Duckering Bldg, Fairbanks, AK, USA, Phone 907-4742714, Fax 907-4747979, ffjb2@uaf.edu
²Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 441 Duckering Bldg, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-5860, USA
³Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
⁴Institute for Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, Germany
⁵Institute for Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, Germany
⁶Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA

Since 1998 automatic weather and soil stations have been operated at sites close to Ny-Ålesund (Spitsbergen), the Lena River Delta, (Siberia) and Ivotuk (Alaska). Continuous permafrost underlies all these sites. All stations are installed on patterned ground: frost boils on Spitsbergen, low centered polygon in Siberia and tussock tundra at Ivotuk. In addition to these differences in surface characteristics and soil material, the sites are characterized by climatic differences. The Lena Delta has the most continental climate (coldest winter air temperature and lowest precipitation), while Spitsbergen has a mild, maritime winter climate due to the influence of the Atlantic current.

By comparing surface energy balance components of these three sites, the control mechanism at the local scale (such as surface characteristics) are examined relative to the larger scale factors (such as climate).

The surface energy balance was calculated during the snow melt period for 1999 (Spitsbergen and Siberia) and for 2000 (Alaska). The calculated energy balance components include atmospheric fluxes (turbulent and rain) and ground sensible and latent heat, while net radiation was measured directly. Radiation provides the major energy input for snow melt in Spitsbergen, while the snow ablation at Ivotuk is governed by sensible heat. At the Siberian site, about 5 cm of snow sublimate at subzero air temperatures after which the remaining snow is melted by net radiation.

The ground heat flux is an important component in the energy balance during snow melt at the Spitsbergen site (between 30 to 50 % of net radiation) due to the long duration of the snow cover.

Return to Abstracts page.