Spatial and temporal patterns of snowmelt refreezing in a Himalayan catchment

Sanne B.M. Veldhuijsen; Remco J. De Kok; Emmy E. Stigter; Jakob F. Steiner; Tuomo M. Saloranta; Walter W. Immerzeel

doi:10.1017/jog.2021.101

Spatial and temporal patterns of snowmelt refreezing in a Himalayan catchment

Sanne B.M. Veldhuijsen^*
, Remco J. De Kok
, Emmy E. Stigter
, Jakob F. Steiner
, Tuomo M. Saloranta
, Walter W. Immerzeel

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Recent progress has been made in quantifying snowmelt in the Himalaya. Although the conditions are favorable for refreezing, little is known about the spatial variability of meltwater refreezing, hindering a complete understanding of seasonal snowmelt dynamics. This study aims to improve our understanding about how refreezing varies in space and time. We simulated refreezing with the seNorge (v2.0) snow model for the Langtang catchment, Nepalese Himalaya, covering a 5-year period. Meteorological forcing data were derived from a unique elaborate network of meteorological stations and high-resolution meteorological simulations. The results show that the annual catchment average refreezing amounts to 122 mm w.e. (21% of the melt), and varies strongly in space depending on elevation and aspect. In addition, there is a seasonal altitudinal variability related to air temperature and snow depth, with most refreezing during the early melt season. Substantial intra-annual variability resulted from fluctuations in snowfall. Daily refreezing simulations decreased by 84% (annual catchment average of 19 mm w.e.) compared to hourly simulations, emphasizing the importance of using sub-daily time steps to capture melt-refreeze cycles. Climate sensitivity experiments revealed that refreezing is highly sensitive to changes in air temperature as a 2°C increase leads to a refreezing decrease of 35%.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	369-389
Number of pages	21
Journal	Journal of Glaciology
Volume	68
Issue number	268
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.101
Publication status	Published - 15 Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was funded by the European Research Council (Grant Agreement No. 676819) and by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NWO (Grant Agreement No. 016.181.308). This study was also financially funded by ICIMOD's Cryosphere Initiative funded by Norway, and by core funds contributed by the Governments of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden and Switzerland. We thank the reviewers for thorough and constructive reviews that helped to improve the manuscript.

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press.

Funding

This study was funded by the European Research Council (Grant Agreement No. 676819) and by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NWO (Grant Agreement No. 016.181.308). This study was also financially funded by ICIMOD's Cryosphere Initiative funded by Norway, and by core funds contributed by the Governments of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden and Switzerland. We thank the reviewers for thorough and constructive reviews that helped to improve the manuscript.

Keywords

Catchment
Himalaya
modeling
refreezing
snow hydrology
snowmelt

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Cite this

@article{5743ad30430a4331848f05c1859ad713,

title = "Spatial and temporal patterns of snowmelt refreezing in a Himalayan catchment",

abstract = "Recent progress has been made in quantifying snowmelt in the Himalaya. Although the conditions are favorable for refreezing, little is known about the spatial variability of meltwater refreezing, hindering a complete understanding of seasonal snowmelt dynamics. This study aims to improve our understanding about how refreezing varies in space and time. We simulated refreezing with the seNorge (v2.0) snow model for the Langtang catchment, Nepalese Himalaya, covering a 5-year period. Meteorological forcing data were derived from a unique elaborate network of meteorological stations and high-resolution meteorological simulations. The results show that the annual catchment average refreezing amounts to 122 mm w.e. (21\% of the melt), and varies strongly in space depending on elevation and aspect. In addition, there is a seasonal altitudinal variability related to air temperature and snow depth, with most refreezing during the early melt season. Substantial intra-annual variability resulted from fluctuations in snowfall. Daily refreezing simulations decreased by 84\% (annual catchment average of 19 mm w.e.) compared to hourly simulations, emphasizing the importance of using sub-daily time steps to capture melt-refreeze cycles. Climate sensitivity experiments revealed that refreezing is highly sensitive to changes in air temperature as a 2°C increase leads to a refreezing decrease of 35\%.",

keywords = "Catchment, Himalaya, modeling, refreezing, snow hydrology, snowmelt",

author = "Veldhuijsen, \{Sanne B.M.\} and \{De Kok\}, \{Remco J.\} and Stigter, \{Emmy E.\} and Steiner, \{Jakob F.\} and Saloranta, \{Tuomo M.\} and Immerzeel, \{Walter W.\}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was funded by the European Research Council (Grant Agreement No. 676819) and by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NWO (Grant Agreement No. 016.181.308). This study was also financially funded by ICIMOD's Cryosphere Initiative funded by Norway, and by core funds contributed by the Governments of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden and Switzerland. We thank the reviewers for thorough and constructive reviews that helped to improve the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press.",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1017/jog.2021.101",

language = "English",

volume = "68",

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T1 - Spatial and temporal patterns of snowmelt refreezing in a Himalayan catchment

AU - Veldhuijsen, Sanne B.M.

AU - De Kok, Remco J.

AU - Stigter, Emmy E.

AU - Steiner, Jakob F.

AU - Saloranta, Tuomo M.

AU - Immerzeel, Walter W.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by the European Research Council (Grant Agreement No. 676819) and by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NWO (Grant Agreement No. 016.181.308). This study was also financially funded by ICIMOD's Cryosphere Initiative funded by Norway, and by core funds contributed by the Governments of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden and Switzerland. We thank the reviewers for thorough and constructive reviews that helped to improve the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press.

PY - 2022/4/15

Y1 - 2022/4/15

N2 - Recent progress has been made in quantifying snowmelt in the Himalaya. Although the conditions are favorable for refreezing, little is known about the spatial variability of meltwater refreezing, hindering a complete understanding of seasonal snowmelt dynamics. This study aims to improve our understanding about how refreezing varies in space and time. We simulated refreezing with the seNorge (v2.0) snow model for the Langtang catchment, Nepalese Himalaya, covering a 5-year period. Meteorological forcing data were derived from a unique elaborate network of meteorological stations and high-resolution meteorological simulations. The results show that the annual catchment average refreezing amounts to 122 mm w.e. (21% of the melt), and varies strongly in space depending on elevation and aspect. In addition, there is a seasonal altitudinal variability related to air temperature and snow depth, with most refreezing during the early melt season. Substantial intra-annual variability resulted from fluctuations in snowfall. Daily refreezing simulations decreased by 84% (annual catchment average of 19 mm w.e.) compared to hourly simulations, emphasizing the importance of using sub-daily time steps to capture melt-refreeze cycles. Climate sensitivity experiments revealed that refreezing is highly sensitive to changes in air temperature as a 2°C increase leads to a refreezing decrease of 35%.

AB - Recent progress has been made in quantifying snowmelt in the Himalaya. Although the conditions are favorable for refreezing, little is known about the spatial variability of meltwater refreezing, hindering a complete understanding of seasonal snowmelt dynamics. This study aims to improve our understanding about how refreezing varies in space and time. We simulated refreezing with the seNorge (v2.0) snow model for the Langtang catchment, Nepalese Himalaya, covering a 5-year period. Meteorological forcing data were derived from a unique elaborate network of meteorological stations and high-resolution meteorological simulations. The results show that the annual catchment average refreezing amounts to 122 mm w.e. (21% of the melt), and varies strongly in space depending on elevation and aspect. In addition, there is a seasonal altitudinal variability related to air temperature and snow depth, with most refreezing during the early melt season. Substantial intra-annual variability resulted from fluctuations in snowfall. Daily refreezing simulations decreased by 84% (annual catchment average of 19 mm w.e.) compared to hourly simulations, emphasizing the importance of using sub-daily time steps to capture melt-refreeze cycles. Climate sensitivity experiments revealed that refreezing is highly sensitive to changes in air temperature as a 2°C increase leads to a refreezing decrease of 35%.

KW - Catchment

KW - Himalaya

KW - modeling

KW - refreezing

KW - snow hydrology

KW - snowmelt

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85115176254

U2 - 10.1017/jog.2021.101

DO - 10.1017/jog.2021.101

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85115176254

SN - 0022-1430

VL - 68

SP - 369

EP - 389

JO - Journal of Glaciology

JF - Journal of Glaciology

IS - 268

ER -

Spatial and temporal patterns of snowmelt refreezing in a Himalayan catchment

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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