Spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacier

The thermal regime of the upper layers of any glacier largely determines the thermal structure of its entire thickness. Its formation is influenced by both, external and internal factors and the most important one among them is the snow cover. Playing the role of a heat insulator in winter and preve...

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Main Authors: T. V. Vshivtseva, R. A. Chernov
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Nauka 2017-10-01
Series:Лëд и снег
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ice-snow.igras.ru/jour/article/view/403
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author T. V. Vshivtseva
R. A. Chernov
author_facet T. V. Vshivtseva
R. A. Chernov
author_sort T. V. Vshivtseva
collection DOAJ
description The thermal regime of the upper layers of any glacier largely determines the thermal structure of its entire thickness. Its formation is influenced by both, external and internal factors and the most important one among them is the snow cover. Playing the role of a heat insulator in winter and preventing the ablation of ice in summer, the snow cover mainly determines the winter storage of cold in the ice, and the temperature at the bottom of the active layer. In 2011–2015, the close relationship between the thickness of snow and temperatures in the upper horizons of ice had been found in the course of researches carried out on the glacier East Grønfjord (Svalbard). Comparison of snow measurement survey data, obtained for different years of the period under investigation, did show that, in every year, the maximum snow accumulation took place within the left branch of the glacier, while the snow thickness within the right branch was comparable to that on the glacier tongue. Thus, observed differences in the snow accumulation cause differences in the temperature structure of the upper layers of the ice. Inter-annual variations of the snow cover thickness indicate that conditions of freezing remain stable overthe greater part of the glacier. Only in the upper reaches of the glacier left branch the great snow accumulation creates conditions unfavorable for freezing. This part of the glacier is more inert to changes in climate, and due to that a wide area of warm ice still remains at the bottom of the glacier.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2076-6734
2412-3765
language Russian
publishDate 2017-10-01
publisher Nauka
record_format Article
series Лëд и снег
spelling doaj-art-74f33d8dfd804c4fa0199a8e6844713d2025-08-20T03:38:14ZrusNaukaЛëд и снег2076-67342412-37652017-10-0157337338010.15356/2076-6734-2017-3-373-380331Spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacierT. V. Vshivtseva0R. A. Chernov1Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences.Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences.The thermal regime of the upper layers of any glacier largely determines the thermal structure of its entire thickness. Its formation is influenced by both, external and internal factors and the most important one among them is the snow cover. Playing the role of a heat insulator in winter and preventing the ablation of ice in summer, the snow cover mainly determines the winter storage of cold in the ice, and the temperature at the bottom of the active layer. In 2011–2015, the close relationship between the thickness of snow and temperatures in the upper horizons of ice had been found in the course of researches carried out on the glacier East Grønfjord (Svalbard). Comparison of snow measurement survey data, obtained for different years of the period under investigation, did show that, in every year, the maximum snow accumulation took place within the left branch of the glacier, while the snow thickness within the right branch was comparable to that on the glacier tongue. Thus, observed differences in the snow accumulation cause differences in the temperature structure of the upper layers of the ice. Inter-annual variations of the snow cover thickness indicate that conditions of freezing remain stable overthe greater part of the glacier. Only in the upper reaches of the glacier left branch the great snow accumulation creates conditions unfavorable for freezing. This part of the glacier is more inert to changes in climate, and due to that a wide area of warm ice still remains at the bottom of the glacier.https://ice-snow.igras.ru/jour/article/view/403active layerboreholeice temperaturesnow depthwarm (temperate) ice
spellingShingle T. V. Vshivtseva
R. A. Chernov
Spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacier
Лëд и снег
active layer
borehole
ice temperature
snow depth
warm (temperate) ice
title Spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacier
title_full Spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacier
title_fullStr Spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacier
title_full_unstemmed Spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacier
title_short Spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacier
title_sort spatial distribution of snow cover and temperature in the upper layer of a polythermal glacier
topic active layer
borehole
ice temperature
snow depth
warm (temperate) ice
url https://ice-snow.igras.ru/jour/article/view/403
work_keys_str_mv AT tvvshivtseva spatialdistributionofsnowcoverandtemperatureintheupperlayerofapolythermalglacier
AT rachernov spatialdistributionofsnowcoverandtemperatureintheupperlayerofapolythermalglacier