Abstract
Temporal and spatial characteristics of the Antarctic specific surface mass balance (SSMB)
are presented, including its components solid precipitation, sublimation/deposition and melt. For this
purpose, we use the output of a regional atmospheric climate model (RACMO2/ANT, horizontal
resolution of 55 km) for the period 1958–2002. RACMO2/ANT uses European Centre for Medium-
Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) 40 year re-analysis (ERA-40) fields as forcing at the lateral
boundaries. RACMO2/ANT underestimates SSMB in the high interior of East and West Antarctica and
overestimates SSMB on the steep coastal slopes. Otherwise, the modeled spatial pattern of SSMB is in
good qualitative agreement with recent compilations of in situ observations. Large-scale patterns, like
the precipitation shadow effect of the Antarctic Peninsula, are well reproduced, and mesoscale SSMB
patterns, such as the strong precipitation gradients on Law Dome, are well represented in the model.
The integrated SSMB over the grounded ice sheet is 153mmw.e. a–1 for the period 1958–2002, which
agrees within 5% with the latest measurement compilations. Sublimation and melt remove 7% and
| Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 97-104 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Annals of Glaciology |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2005 |
