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Clouds enhance Greenland ice sheet meltwater runoff
K Van Tricht1, S Lhermitte1, J T M Lenaerts2
1KU Leuven, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Leuven 3001, Belgium.
Nature Communications
|January 13, 2016
Summary
Clouds significantly boost Greenland ice sheet meltwater runoff, contributing to sea level rise. This occurs because clouds reduce refreezing, rather than directly increasing surface melt, impacting ice sheet dynamics.
Area of Science:
- * Climate Science
- * Glaciology
- * Remote Sensing
Background:
- * The Greenland ice sheet is a major driver of global sea level rise, primarily due to increased meltwater runoff.
- * The specific mechanisms driving this runoff are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To quantify the impact of clouds on Greenland ice sheet meltwater runoff.
- * To investigate the pathways through which clouds influence runoff and ice sheet behavior.
Main Methods:
- * Utilized a combination of active satellite observations and climate model data.
- * Employed snow model simulations to analyze cloud effects on the ice sheet.
Main Results:
- * Clouds enhance meltwater runoff by approximately one-third compared to clear skies, driven by a cloud radiative effect of 29.5 W m⁻².
- * Clouds primarily reduce meltwater refreezing, leading to increased bare-ice exposure and accelerated runoff, contrary to expectations of direct surface melt increase.
- * Both ice-only and liquid-bearing clouds show a significant impact on the ice sheet.
Conclusions:
- * Clouds play a crucial, often underestimated, role in Greenland's contribution to sea level rise.
- * Accurate cloud representation in climate models is essential for predicting future ice sheet melt and sea level contributions.
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