Brief communication: Improved simulation of the present-day Greenland firn layer (1960–2016)

• Published in: The cryosphere Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 1643 - 1649
• Main Authors: Ligtenberg, Stefan R. M, Kuipers Munneke, Peter, Noël, Brice P. Y, van den Broeke, Michiel R
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Katlenburg-Lindau Copernicus GmbH 08.05.2018; Copernicus Publications
• Subjects: Balance studies; Climate models; Communication; Computer simulation; Earth sciences & physical geography; Environmental aspects; Firn; Firn density; Glaciation; Greenland ice sheet; Ice; Ice sheets; Mass balance; Meltwater; Percolation; Physical, chemical, mathematical & earth Sciences; Physique, chimie, mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Regional climate models; Regional climates; Runoff; Sciences de la terre & géographie physique; Simulation; Storage; Surface runoff; Greenland
• ISSN: 1994-0424; 1994-0416; 1994-0424; 1994-0416
• DOI: 10.5194/tc-12-1643-2018

By providing pore space for storage or refreezing of meltwater, the Greenland ice sheet firn layer strongly modulates runoff. Correctly representing the firn layer is therefore crucial for Greenland (surface) mass balance studies. Here, we present a simulation of the Greenland firn layer with the firn model IMAU-FDM forced by the latest output of the regional climate model RACMO2, version 2.3p2. In the percolation zone, much improved agreement is found with firn density and temperature observations. A full simulation of Greenland firn at high temporal (10 days) and spatial (11 km) resolution is available for the period 1960–2016.