Spatiotemporal distribution of seasonal snow water equivalent in High Mountain Asia from an 18-year Landsat–MODIS era snow reanalysis dataset The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-15-5261-2021 11 February 2022 We examined the spatiotemporal distribution of stored water in the seasonal snowpack over High Mountain Asia, based on a new snow reanalysis dataset. The dataset was derived utilizing satellite-observed snow information, which spans across 18 water years, at a high spatial (~ 500 m) and temporal (daily) resolution. Snow mass and snow storage distribution over space and time are analysed in this paper, which brings new insights into understanding the snowpack variability over this region. Read more
Orogenic lithosphere and slabs in the greater Alpine area – interpretations based on teleseismic P-wave tomography Solid Earth DOI 10.5194/se-12-2633-2021 9 February 2022 New images from the multi-national AlpArray experiment illuminate the Alps from below. They indicate thick European mantle descending beneath the Alps and forming blobs that are mostly detached from the Alps above. In contrast, the Adriatic mantle in the Alps is much thinner. This difference helps explain the rugged mountains and the abundance of subducted and exhumed units at the core of the Alps. The blobs are stretched remnants of old ocean and its margins that reach down to at least 410 km. Read more
Seasonal evolution of Antarctic supraglacial lakes in 2015–2021 and links to environmental controls The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-15-5205-2021 7 February 2022 We provide novel insight into the temporal evolution of supraglacial lakes across six major Antarctic ice shelves in 2015–2021. For Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves, we observe extensive meltwater ponding during the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 summers. Over East Antarctica, lakes were widespread during 2016–2019 and at a minimum in 2020–2021. We investigate environmental controls, revealing lake ponding to be coupled to atmospheric modes, the near-surface climate and the local glaciological setting. Read more
Future summer warming pattern under climate change is affected by lapse-rate changes Weather and Climate Dynamics DOI 10.5194/wcd-2-1093-2021 4 February 2022 In a warmer future climate, climate simulations predict that some land areas will experience excessive warming during summer. We show that the excessive summer warming is related to the vertical distribution of warming within the atmosphere. In regions characterized by excessive warming, much of the warming occurs close to the surface. In other regions, most of the warming is redistributed to higher levels in the atmosphere, which weakens the surface warming. Read more
Two decades of dynamic change and progressive destabilization on the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-15-5187-2021 2 February 2022 We present a 20-year, satellite-based record of velocity and thickness change on the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf (TEIS), the largest remaining floating extension of Thwaites Glacier (TG). TG holds the single greatest control on sea-level rise over the next few centuries, so it is important to understand changes on the TEIS, which controls much of TG’s flow into the ocean. Our results suggest that the TEIS is progressively destabilizing and is likely to disintegrate over the next few decades. Read more
Accumulation of legacy fallout radionuclides in cryoconite on Isfallsglaciären (Arctic Sweden) and their downstream spatial distribution The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-15-5151-2021 31 January 2022 Our paper presents results of sample collection and subsequent geochemical analyses from the glaciated Isfallsglaciären catchment in Arctic Sweden. The data suggest that material found on the surface of glaciers, “cryoconite”, is very efficient at accumulating products of nuclear fallout transported in the atmosphere following events such as the Chernobyl disaster. We investigate how this compares with samples in the downstream environment and consider potential environmental implications. Read more
A sulfur dioxide Covariance-Based Retrieval Algorithm (COBRA): application to TROPOMI reveals new emission sources Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-21-16727-2021 28 January 2022 We present a new algorithm to retrieve sulfur dioxide from space UV measurements. We apply the technique to high-resolution TROPOMI measurements and demonstrate the high sensitivity of the approach to weak SO2 emissions worldwide with an unprecedented limit of detection of 8 kt yr-1. This result has broad implications for atmospheric science studies dealing with improving emission inventories and identifying and quantifying missing sources, in the context of air quality and climate. COBRA): application to TROPOMI reveals new emission sources">Read more
Feedback mechanisms between precipitation and dissolution reactions across randomly heterogeneous conductivity fields Hydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/hess-25-5905-2021 26 January 2022 The interplay between dissolution, precipitation and transport is widely encountered in porous media, from CO2 storage to cave formation in carbonate rocks. We show that dissolution occurs along preferential flow paths with high hydraulic conductivity, while precipitation occurs at locations close to yet separated from these flow paths, thus further funneling the flow and changing the probability density function of the transport, as measured on the altered conductivity field at various times. Read more
Dynamics of fortnightly water level variations along a tide-dominated estuary with negligible river discharge Ocean Science DOI 10.5194/os-17-1605-2021 24 January 2022 Understanding tidal hydrodynamics is essential for water resources management in estuarine environments. In this study, we propose an analytical model to examine the fortnightly water level variations due to tidal motions alone in tide-dominated estuaries. Details of the analytical model show that changes in the mean depth or length of semi-arid estuaries affect the fortnightly tide amplitude, which has significant potential impacts on the estuarine ecosystem management. Read more
A differential emissivity imaging technique for measuring hydrometeor mass and type Atmospheric Measurement Techniques DOI 10.5194/amt-14-6973-2021 21 January 2022 This paper describes a new instrument for quantifying the physical characteristics of hydrometeors such as snow and rain. The device can measure the mass, size, density and type of individual hydrometeors as well as their bulk properties. The instrument is called the Differential Emissivity Imaging Disdrometer (DEID) and is composed of a thermal camera and hotplate. The DEID measures hydrometeors at sampling frequencies up to 1 Hz with masses and effective diameters greater than 1 µg and 200 µm. Read more
