Snow Accumulation Variability Over the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Since 1900: A Comparison of Ice Core Records With ERA‐20C Reanalysis

Author(s)

Yetang Wang, Shandong Normal University
Elizabeth R. Thomas, British Antarctic Survey
Shugui Hou, Nanjing University
Baojuan Huai, Shandong Normal University
Shuang-Ye Wu, University of DaytonFollow
Weijun Sun, Shandong Normal University
Shanzhong Qi, Shandong Normal University
Minghu Ding, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences
Yulun Zhang, Shandong Normal University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-28-2017

Publication Source

Geophysical Research Letters

Abstract

This study uses a set of 37 firn core records over the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) to test the performance of the twentieth century from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ERA‐20C) reanalysis for snow accumulation and quantify temporal variability in snow accumulation since 1900. The firn cores are allocated to four geographical areas demarcated by drainage divides (i.e., Antarctic Peninsula (AP), western WAIS, central WAIS, and eastern WAIS) to calculate stacked records of regional snow accumulation. Our results show that the interannual variability in ERA‐20C precipitation minus evaporation (P − E) agrees well with the corresponding ice core snow accumulation composites in each of the four geographical regions, suggesting its skill for simulating snow accumulation changes before the modern satellite era (pre‐1979). Snow accumulation experiences significantly positive trends for the AP and eastern WAIS, a negative trend for the western WAIS, and no significant trend for the central WAIS from 1900 to 2010. The contrasting trends are associated with changes in the large‐scale moisture transport driven by a deepening of the low‐pressure systems and anomalies of sea ice in the Amundsen Sea Low region.

Inclusive pages

11,482-11,490

ISBN/ISSN

0094-8276

Document Version

Published Version

Comments

This document has been made available for download in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy.

Permission documentation on file.

Copyright

Copyright © 2017, American Geophysical Union

Publisher

American Geophysical Union

Volume

44

Issue

22

Peer Reviewed

yes

eCommons Citation

Wang, Yetang; Thomas, Elizabeth R.; Hou, Shugui; Huai, Baojuan; Wu, Shuang-Ye; Sun, Weijun; Qi, Shanzhong; Ding, Minghu; and Zhang, Yulun, "Snow Accumulation Variability Over the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Since 1900: A Comparison of Ice Core Records With ERA‐20C Reanalysis" (2017). Geology Faculty Publications. 52.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/geo_fac_pub/52