IngentaConnect A temperature-index model of stream flow at below-freezing temper...

Authors: Ebnet, Amy F.; Fountain, Andrew G.; Nylen, Thomas H.; McKnight, Diane M.; Jaros, Christopher L.

Source: Annals of Glaciology, Volume 40, Number 1, January 2005 , pp. 76-82(7)

Publisher: International Glaciological Society

Abstract:

We model runoff from glaciers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, with summer (December-January) average air temperatures from 1990 to 2002 for the purpose of estimating decades- to millennial-scale glacial runoff into Lakes Fryxell, Hoare and Bonney. The relationship between summer temperatures and melt is found to be exponential near the melting temperature. We propose a variety of simple models that are calibrated using measured discharge from a number of streams draining from ten glaciers in Taylor Valley. The surface melting rate is constrained by mass-balance measurements from four of the glaciers. A model based solely on temperature produced good results (coefficient of determination, r² = 0.71) for the south-facing glaciers, but poor results for the north-facing glaciers (r² < 0). The inclusion of a solar radiation index increased the modeled melt from the north-facing glaciers and thus improved the results (r² = 0.73) for the north-facing glaciers, with little change from the south-facing glaciers. Including a wind index did not improve the correlation between modeled and measured runoff.

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A temperature-index model of stream flow at below-freezing temperatures in Taylor Valley, Antarctica