Contribution of Atmospheric Rivers to Antarctic Precipitation

Area of Science:

• Climatology
• Atmospheric Science
• Glaciology

Background:

• Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are key transporters of moisture from lower latitudes to the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS).
• AR events, though infrequent, can cause extreme precipitation and surface melt on the AIS, impacting its mass balance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the contribution of ARs to total precipitation on the Antarctic Ice Sheet.
• To assess the role of ARs in Antarctic precipitation variability and mass balance.

Main Methods:

• Combined precipitation data from atmospheric reanalyses.
• Utilized a polar-specific AR detection algorithm to identify AR events impacting Antarctica.

Main Results:

• ARs make a substantial contribution to overall Antarctic precipitation.
• This contribution is particularly significant in East Antarctica at elevations below 3,000 meters.
• ARs play a considerable role in year-to-year variations in Antarctic precipitation.

Conclusions:

• ARs are a critical factor in understanding current and future Antarctic mass balance trends.
• ARs influence the variability of Antarctic precipitation, highlighting their importance in climate studies.