Near‐surface‐temperature lapse rates on the Prince of Wales Icefield, Ellesmere Island, Canada: implications for regional downscaling of temperature

• DOI: 10.1002/joc.1396
• Publication Date: 2006-09-28T10:06:48Z
• Authors: Shawn J. Marshall; Martin J. Sharp; David O. Burgess; Faron S. Anslow
• Keywords: Lapse rate; Glacier mass balance; Ice field; Katabatic wind

Abstract Screen temperatures were monitored from May 2001 to April 2003 in an array of 25 sites on the Prince Wales Icefield, Ellesmere Island, Canada. The observational network covered area ca 15 650 km 2 and spanned altitude ranging 130 2010 m above sea level. spatial provides a record near‐surface‐temperature lapse rates mesoscale temperature variability icefield. mean daily rate 2‐year is − 4.1° C −1 , with average summer 4.3° . Surface‐temperature region are therefore systematically less than free‐air that typically adopted for extrapolations sea‐level higher altitudes. Steep rates, resembling moist adiabatic free air (−6 7° ), more common at our site associated enhanced cyclonic activity (low‐pressure high relative vorticity) southerly flow aloft. In contrast, northerly, anticyclonic prevails when weak (above 2° ). low surface‐temperature their systematic synoptic have important implications applications require downscaling or extrapolation surface‐ boundary‐layer temperatures, such as modelling glacier mass balance. We illustrate this analysis observed versus modelled snowmelt Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.