Foehn winds influence surface ablation on Glaciar Perito Moreno, southern Patagonian icefield
The southern Patagonian glaciers are known for having extremely high ablation rates. Foehn winds are one of the suspected causes, however, their influence on the annual ablation, their interannual variations, and their relationship with climate change is not well understood. We analysed the in-situ...
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Cambridge University Press
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023001065/type/journal_article |
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| author | Masahiro Minowa Pedro Skvarca Koji Fujita |
| author_facet | Masahiro Minowa Pedro Skvarca Koji Fujita |
| author_sort | Masahiro Minowa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The southern Patagonian glaciers are known for having extremely high ablation rates. Foehn winds are one of the suspected causes, however, their influence on the annual ablation, their interannual variations, and their relationship with climate change is not well understood. We analysed the in-situ meteorological data from 2003–2020 recorded at Glaciar Perito Moreno. Daily temperature lapse rates varied substantially, from −7.8°C km−1 to 10.4°C km−1, due to foehn, fog, and katabatic winds. We find that, on average, foehn events occurred 1073 hours per year, and accounted for 20% of the annual surface ablation. This increase in surface ablation rates during foehn events occurs as a result of the enhanced sensible heat flux and net shortwave radiation. The downglacier-directed foehn winds warm the air mass over the glacier, but because of the high humidity of the foehn here, they often release latent heat by condensation. Variations in the Amundsen Sea Low influence foehn occurrence by modulating the westerly winds, which is related to the hemispherical ocean and atmospheric variability. Our results show that the local climate play an important role in the surface melting of Patagonian glaciers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a0d1cf68346b4b0a8511b5ee2ed38ce5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
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| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj-art-a0d1cf68346b4b0a8511b5ee2ed38ce52025-01-16T21:49:06ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522024-01-017010.1017/jog.2023.106Foehn winds influence surface ablation on Glaciar Perito Moreno, southern Patagonian icefieldMasahiro Minowa0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2667-9798Pedro Skvarca1Koji Fujita2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3753-4981Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, JapanGlaciarium–Glacier Interpretive Center, El Calafate, ArgentinaGraduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, JapanThe southern Patagonian glaciers are known for having extremely high ablation rates. Foehn winds are one of the suspected causes, however, their influence on the annual ablation, their interannual variations, and their relationship with climate change is not well understood. We analysed the in-situ meteorological data from 2003–2020 recorded at Glaciar Perito Moreno. Daily temperature lapse rates varied substantially, from −7.8°C km−1 to 10.4°C km−1, due to foehn, fog, and katabatic winds. We find that, on average, foehn events occurred 1073 hours per year, and accounted for 20% of the annual surface ablation. This increase in surface ablation rates during foehn events occurs as a result of the enhanced sensible heat flux and net shortwave radiation. The downglacier-directed foehn winds warm the air mass over the glacier, but because of the high humidity of the foehn here, they often release latent heat by condensation. Variations in the Amundsen Sea Low influence foehn occurrence by modulating the westerly winds, which is related to the hemispherical ocean and atmospheric variability. Our results show that the local climate play an important role in the surface melting of Patagonian glaciers.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023001065/type/journal_articleClimate changeglacier mass balanceice and climatemelt-surfacemountain glaciers |
| spellingShingle | Masahiro Minowa Pedro Skvarca Koji Fujita Foehn winds influence surface ablation on Glaciar Perito Moreno, southern Patagonian icefield Journal of Glaciology Climate change glacier mass balance ice and climate melt-surface mountain glaciers |
| title | Foehn winds influence surface ablation on Glaciar Perito Moreno, southern Patagonian icefield |
| title_full | Foehn winds influence surface ablation on Glaciar Perito Moreno, southern Patagonian icefield |
| title_fullStr | Foehn winds influence surface ablation on Glaciar Perito Moreno, southern Patagonian icefield |
| title_full_unstemmed | Foehn winds influence surface ablation on Glaciar Perito Moreno, southern Patagonian icefield |
| title_short | Foehn winds influence surface ablation on Glaciar Perito Moreno, southern Patagonian icefield |
| title_sort | foehn winds influence surface ablation on glaciar perito moreno southern patagonian icefield |
| topic | Climate change glacier mass balance ice and climate melt-surface mountain glaciers |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023001065/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT masahirominowa foehnwindsinfluencesurfaceablationonglaciarperitomorenosouthernpatagonianicefield AT pedroskvarca foehnwindsinfluencesurfaceablationonglaciarperitomorenosouthernpatagonianicefield AT kojifujita foehnwindsinfluencesurfaceablationonglaciarperitomorenosouthernpatagonianicefield |