Direct measurements of meltwater runoff on the Greenland ice sheet surface

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707743114
• Publication Date: 2017-12-05T17:10:34Z
• Authors: Laurence C. Smith; Kang Yang; Lincoln H Pitcher; Brandon T. Overst...; Vena W. Chu; Åsa K. Rennermalm; Jonathan C. Ryan; Matthew G. Cooper; Colin J. Gleason; Marco Tedesco; Jeyavinoth Jeyara...; Dirk van As; Michiel R. van de...; Willem Jan van de...; Brice Noël; Peter L. Langen; Richard I. Cullather; Bin Zhao; Michael J. Willis; Alun Hubbard; Jason E. Box; Brittany A. Jenner; Alberto E. Behar
• Keywords: Meltwater; Greenland ice sheet

Significance Meltwater runoff is an important hydrological process operating on the Greenland ice sheet surface that rarely studied directly. By combining satellite and drone remote sensing with continuous field measurements of discharge in a large supraglacial river, we obtained 72 h observations suitable for comparison climate model predictions. The quantify how large, fluvial catchment attenuates magnitude timing delivered to its terminal moulin hence bed. data are used calibrate classical hydrology equations improve meltwater models demonstrate broad-scale water drainage patterns form powerfully alter timing, magnitude, locations penetrating into sheet.