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This paper presents modeled surface and subsurface melt fluxes across near-coastal Antarctica. Simulations were performed using a physical-based energy balance model developed in conjunction with detailed field measurements in a mixed snow and blue-ice area of Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. The model was combined with a satellite-derived map of Antarctic snow and blue-ice areas, 10 yr (1991–2000) of Antarctic meteorological station data, and a high-resolution meteorological distribution model, to provide daily simulated melt values on a 1-km grid covering Antarctica. Model simulations showed that 11.8% and 21.6% of the Antarctic continent experienced surface and subsurface melt, respectively. In addition, the simulations produced 10-yr averaged subsurface meltwater production fluxes of 316.5 and 57.4 km3 yr−1 for snow-covered and blue-ice areas, respectively. The corresponding figures for surface melt were 46.0 and 2.0 km3 yr−1, respectively, thus demonstrating the dominant role of subsurface over surface meltwater production. In total, computed surface and subsurface meltwater production values equal 31 mm yr−1 if evenly distributed over all of Antarctica. While, at any given location, meltwater production rates were highest in blue-ice areas, total annual Antarctic meltwater production was highest for snow-covered areas due to its larger spatial extent. The simulations also showed higher interannual meltwater variations for surface melt than subsurface melt. Since most of the produced meltwater refreezes near where it was produced, the simulated melt has little effect on the Antarctic mass balance. However, the melt contribution is important for the surface energy balance and in modifying surface and near-surface snow and ice properties such as density and grain size.

We have mapped Antarctic blue-ice areas using the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Antarctica cloud-free image mosaic established by the United States Geological Survey. The mosaic consists of 38 scenes acquired from 1980 to 1994. Our results show that approximately 60 000 km2 of blue ice exist for each of the two main types of blue ice: “melt-induced” and “wind-induced”. Normally, the former type is located on slopes in coastal areas where climate conditions (i.e. persistent winds and temperature), together with favourable surface orientation, sustain conditions for surface and near surface melt. The latter blue-ice category occurs near mountains or on outlet glaciers, often at higher elevations, where persistent winds erode snow away year-round, and combined with sublimation creates areas of net ablation. Furthermore, we have identified an additional area of 121 000 km2 as having potential for blue ice. However, in these areas features such as mixed pixels, glazed snow surfaces, crevasses and/or shadows make interpretation more uncertain. In conclusion, a conservative estimate of Antarctic blue-ice area coverage by this method is found to be 120 000 km2 (∼0.8% of the Antarctic continent), with a potential maximum of 241 000 km2 (∼1.6% of the Antarctic continent).

Large-scale melting phenomena such as meltwater drainage channels and meltwater accumulation basins of frozen lakes were surveyed on the land ice mass in Jutulgryta, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, during the Norwegian Antarctic Research Expedition in 1989–90 (NARE 1989–90). The largest frozen lake that was observed was close to 1 km in width. These melting features were also detected in a Landsat Thematic Mapper image recorded on 12 February 1990. Then, during NARE 1993–94, a 5year glaciological programme was started in this area. In spite of negative air temperatures and the presence of a frozen ice surface, sub-surface melting and runoff were found within the uppermost metre in blue-ice fields. The sub-surface melting is a consequence of solar radiative penetration and absorption within the ice, i.e. the “solid-state-greenhouse effect”. Temperatures in blue ice were about 6°C higher than for snow. Internal melt and meltwater transport were observed throughout the 1 month of measurements. The conditions for active melting in Jutulgryta are probably marginal. A slight increase of air temperatures can result in more “classical” surface melting, whereas a cooling may disable sub-surface melting. Studies of how the extent and characteristics of the melting features change with time can be particularly valuable as indicators of climate change. This ongoing programme clearly identifies the importance of analyzing how these melting features originate, of mapping their present areal distribution, of determining how sensitive they are to climate change and of Studying changes in the past and possible changes in the future.

In the near coastal regions of Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, below-surface ice-melt in blue-ice areas has been observed. The low scattering coefficients of the large-grained blue-ice allow penetration of solar radiation, thus providing an energy source below the ice surface. The sub-surface meltwater is significant enough to show up on remote-sensing imagery in the form of ice-covered lakes. Adjacent snow-accumulation areas have much higher scattering coefficients and consequently limit solar radiation penetration in these regions. These snow and ice surfaces are generally below freezing, and little surface melting occurs. To assess the response of these melt features to changes in atmospheric forcings such as cloudiness, air temperature, and snow accumulation, a physically-based model of the coupled atmosphere, radiation, snow, and blue-ice system has been developed. The model consists of a heat transfer equation with a spectrally-dependent solar-radiation source term. The penetration of radiation into the snow and blue-ice depends on the surface albedo, and the snow and blue-ice grain size and density. Model simulations show that ice melt occurring in this area is sensitive to potential variations in atmospheric forcing. Under certain conditions more traditional surface melting occurs and, under other conditions, the existing melt processes can be shut down completely. In light of the sensitivity of this system to variations in atmospheric forcing, and the ability to view melt-related features using remote sensing, a tool exists to efficiently monitor variations in Antarctic coastal climate.

In the Jutulgryta area of Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, subsurface melting of the ice sheet has been observed. The melting takes place during the summer months in blue-ice areas under conditions of below-freezing air and surface temperatures. Adjacent snow-covered regions, having the same meteorological and climatic conditions, experience little or no subsurface melting. To help explain and understand the observed melt-rate differences in the blue-ice and snow-covered areas, a physically based numerical model of the coupled atmosphere, radiation, snow and blue-ice system has been developed. The model comprises a heat-transfer equation which includes a spectrally dependent solar-radiation source term. The penetration of radiation into the snow and blue ice depends on the solar-radiation spectrum, the surface albedo and the snow and blue-ice grain-sizes and densities. In addition, the model uses a complete surface energy balance to define the surface boundary conditions. It is run over the full annual cycle, simulating temperature profiles and melting and freezing quantities throughout the summer and winter seasons. The model is driven and validated using field observations collected during the Norwegian Antarctic Research Expedition (NARE) 1996–97. The simulations suggest that the observed differences between subsurface snow and blue-ice melting can be explained largely by radiative and heat-transfer interactions resulting from differences in albedo, grain-size and density between the two mediums.

Surface patterns of alternating snow and blue-ice bands are found in the Jutulgryta area of Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. The snow-accumulation regions exist in the lee of blue-ice topographic ridges aligned perpendicular to winter winds. The snow bands are c. 500–2000 m wide and up to several kilometres long. In Jutulgryta, these features cover c. 5000 km2. These alternating snow and blue-ice bands are simulated using a snow transport and redistribution model, SnowTran-3D, that is driven with a winter cycle of observed daily screen-height air temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction. The snow-transport model is coupled to a wind model that simulates wind flow over the relatively complex topography. Model results indicate that winter winds interact with the ice topographic features to produce alternating surface patterns of snow accumulation and erosion. In addition, model sensitivity simulations suggest that subtle topographic variations, on the order of 5m elevation change over a horizontal distance of 1 to 1.5 km, can lead to snow-accumulation variations that differ by a factor of six. This result is expected to have important consequences regarding the choice of sites for ice-coring efforts in Antarctica and elsewhere.