Buffering of sublimation loss of subsurface ice by percolating snowmelt: a theoretical analysis

Norbert Schorghofer

Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, 2009, vol. 20, issue 3, 309-313

Abstract: Subsurface ice in cold hyperarid conditions retreats by sublimation and diffusion through the overlying soil layer. Here, it is shown that percolating meltwater, if present, can counterbalance sublimation loss effectively and thus increase the persistence time of subsurface ice. Time averaging of transport equations is used to evaluate the significance of percolation in an otherwise complex dynamical system. The reduction in sublimation loss is approximately given by the amount of meltwater multiplied by the percolation depth and divided by the depth to the ice table. It is plausible that percolation is even more effective during a warmer, wetter climate. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Date: 2009
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.646

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:perpro:v:20:y:2009:i:3:p:309-313

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Permafrost and Periglacial Processes from John Wiley & Sons
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().