Modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the Caucasus and Kamchatka Peninsula

The paper evaluates the possibility of using a computing complex that includes a SNOWPACK model and an algorithm for calculating orographic precipitation addition to reproduce snow cover in mountainous areas. This model complex was tested in the conditions of two contrasting mountain-glacial systems...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: I. M. Sushintsev, E. D. Drozdov, P. A. Toropov, V. N. Mikhalenko, M. A. Vorobiev, A. G. Hayredinova
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Nauka 2025-05-01
Series:Лëд и снег
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ice-snow.igras.ru/jour/article/view/1507
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850025574310871040
author I. M. Sushintsev
E. D. Drozdov
P. A. Toropov
V. N. Mikhalenko
M. A. Vorobiev
A. G. Hayredinova
author_facet I. M. Sushintsev
E. D. Drozdov
P. A. Toropov
V. N. Mikhalenko
M. A. Vorobiev
A. G. Hayredinova
author_sort I. M. Sushintsev
collection DOAJ
description The paper evaluates the possibility of using a computing complex that includes a SNOWPACK model and an algorithm for calculating orographic precipitation addition to reproduce snow cover in mountainous areas. This model complex was tested in the conditions of two contrasting mountain-glacial systems provided with in-situ data: the Central Caucasus (using the example of Mount Elbrus), and Kamchatka(using the example of the Ushkovsky volcano). Numerical experiments were carried out for the period of 09. 2023–02. 2024 for Elbrus and for the period of 1986–1997 for Ushkovsky, ERA5 reanalysis data wasused as a forcing. It is shown that on a seasonal scale for the Elbrus volcano, the simulation results are in good agreement with the field data: the error in the amount of snow accumulation was 3 cm, for the temperature inside the whole snow column mean average error was 1.4 °C with a coefficient of determination R2= 0.96. For Ushkovsky, 3 numerical experiments were conducted with different input data on precipitation. The simulation results were compared with the data from the 1996 ice core. When using the orographic precipitation model, the error in reproducing accumulation over 10 years was reduced to 25 % compared to 40 % according to the ERA5 reanalysis. At the same time, the model described the stratigraphy of the snow cover well: 4 out of 5 ice formations were reproduced. It is shown that the presented model tool can be used to approximate the dynamics of snow accumulation on long time scales and to analyze changes in ice formation conditions on mountain glaciers. Possible ways of the model complex developing are also discussed, which will allow more accurate assessment of snow column structure and reproduction of ice formations. According to the drilling data of 2022, it was revealed that the density profile of the Ushkovsky volcano is very different from that presented in the 1996 study. Previously, only about 4 % of ice was observed in the snow-firn stratum, currently its content has increased to 53% of the entire profile. Thus, climate change has affected the snow cover structure of Kamchatka’s high-altitude glaciers. This is manifested in an increase in the frequency of positive summer temperatures over the past decades, which leads to melting and infiltration of liquid moisture into the snow-firn stratum.
format Article
id doaj-art-4ef67c1787aa48ae8ede7ec040b99e05
institution DOAJ
issn 2076-6734
2412-3765
language Russian
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nauka
record_format Article
series Лëд и снег
spelling doaj-art-4ef67c1787aa48ae8ede7ec040b99e052025-08-20T03:00:49ZrusNaukaЛëд и снег2076-67342412-37652025-05-01651213610.31857/S2076673425010025911Modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the Caucasus and Kamchatka PeninsulaI. M. Sushintsev0E. D. Drozdov1P. A. Toropov2V. N. Mikhalenko3M. A. Vorobiev4A. G. Hayredinova5Institute of Geography RAS; Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityInstitute of Geography RAS; Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityInstitute of Geography RAS; Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityInstitute of Geography RASInstitute of Geography RASInstitute of Geography RASThe paper evaluates the possibility of using a computing complex that includes a SNOWPACK model and an algorithm for calculating orographic precipitation addition to reproduce snow cover in mountainous areas. This model complex was tested in the conditions of two contrasting mountain-glacial systems provided with in-situ data: the Central Caucasus (using the example of Mount Elbrus), and Kamchatka(using the example of the Ushkovsky volcano). Numerical experiments were carried out for the period of 09. 2023–02. 2024 for Elbrus and for the period of 1986–1997 for Ushkovsky, ERA5 reanalysis data wasused as a forcing. It is shown that on a seasonal scale for the Elbrus volcano, the simulation results are in good agreement with the field data: the error in the amount of snow accumulation was 3 cm, for the temperature inside the whole snow column mean average error was 1.4 °C with a coefficient of determination R2= 0.96. For Ushkovsky, 3 numerical experiments were conducted with different input data on precipitation. The simulation results were compared with the data from the 1996 ice core. When using the orographic precipitation model, the error in reproducing accumulation over 10 years was reduced to 25 % compared to 40 % according to the ERA5 reanalysis. At the same time, the model described the stratigraphy of the snow cover well: 4 out of 5 ice formations were reproduced. It is shown that the presented model tool can be used to approximate the dynamics of snow accumulation on long time scales and to analyze changes in ice formation conditions on mountain glaciers. Possible ways of the model complex developing are also discussed, which will allow more accurate assessment of snow column structure and reproduction of ice formations. According to the drilling data of 2022, it was revealed that the density profile of the Ushkovsky volcano is very different from that presented in the 1996 study. Previously, only about 4 % of ice was observed in the snow-firn stratum, currently its content has increased to 53% of the entire profile. Thus, climate change has affected the snow cover structure of Kamchatka’s high-altitude glaciers. This is manifested in an increase in the frequency of positive summer temperatures over the past decades, which leads to melting and infiltration of liquid moisture into the snow-firn stratum.https://ice-snow.igras.ru/jour/article/view/1507snow coverprecipitationice layersmodelingkamchatkaelbrussnowpack model
spellingShingle I. M. Sushintsev
E. D. Drozdov
P. A. Toropov
V. N. Mikhalenko
M. A. Vorobiev
A. G. Hayredinova
Modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the Caucasus and Kamchatka Peninsula
Лëд и снег
snow cover
precipitation
ice layers
modeling
kamchatka
elbrus
snowpack model
title Modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the Caucasus and Kamchatka Peninsula
title_full Modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the Caucasus and Kamchatka Peninsula
title_fullStr Modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the Caucasus and Kamchatka Peninsula
title_full_unstemmed Modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the Caucasus and Kamchatka Peninsula
title_short Modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the Caucasus and Kamchatka Peninsula
title_sort modeling of snow cover on glaciers of the caucasus and kamchatka peninsula
topic snow cover
precipitation
ice layers
modeling
kamchatka
elbrus
snowpack model
url https://ice-snow.igras.ru/jour/article/view/1507
work_keys_str_mv AT imsushintsev modelingofsnowcoveronglaciersofthecaucasusandkamchatkapeninsula
AT eddrozdov modelingofsnowcoveronglaciersofthecaucasusandkamchatkapeninsula
AT patoropov modelingofsnowcoveronglaciersofthecaucasusandkamchatkapeninsula
AT vnmikhalenko modelingofsnowcoveronglaciersofthecaucasusandkamchatkapeninsula
AT mavorobiev modelingofsnowcoveronglaciersofthecaucasusandkamchatkapeninsula
AT aghayredinova modelingofsnowcoveronglaciersofthecaucasusandkamchatkapeninsula