WP 3.1: Formulate glacier-atmosphere interactions in ESMs and validate with available data

Workpackage leader: Anna Rutgersson, UU

SVALI PhD students: 

Objectives

• Develop a physically-based model of the interface between glaciers and atmosphere (boundary layer).
  
• Create a general interface between surface-mass balance models and ice-flow models.
  
• Produce and provide downscaled climate runs to other partners of the project.
  
• Analyse downscaled ensembles of RCMs.
  
• Analyse high-resolution precipitation modelling output and snow scheme in ESMs.
  
• Update the glacier surface scheme within HIRHAM5 with a newly developed melt water refreezing scheme.
  

Background

Atmospheric models of varying resolution can generate data to force glacier models; and the simulated response of the glaciers to the atmospheric forcing will to some extent depend on the
resolution of the models. Using different models and results from several of the other WPs, the parameterisation of glaciers in climate models will be improved. Atmospheric forcing for glacier
models will be created for use in a number of areas and a general coupling between atmosphere and ice-flow models will be developed.