A Heat-Balance Study on Sørbreen, Jan Mayen

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The techniques and results of a heat-balance programme on Sørbreen, Jan Mayen, are presented and discussed. Estimates of 24 hr. heat-transfer totals under frontal and non-frontal weather conditions are then made. Transfer is found to be higher during frontal conditions, due to an increase in latent and to a lesser extent sensible heat transfer. Consideration of upper air temperatures and humidities suggests this higher transfer is experienced by the glacier as a whole. It is then proposed that summer rainfall totals will provide an index of frontal activity which may be used to indicate relative ablation from one summer to another. A statistical comparison of ablation measured on the glacier and rainfall recorded at the Jan Mayen meteorological station supports this suggestion.

This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit: