Clouds enhance Greenland ice sheet meltwater runoff

K. Van Tricht; S. Lhermitte; J. T. M. Lenaerts; I. V. Gorodetskaya; T. S. L’Ecuyer; B. Noël; M. R. van den Broeke; D. D. Turner; N. P. M. van Lipzig

doi:10.1038/ncomms10266

Nature Communications (Jan 2016)

Clouds enhance Greenland ice sheet meltwater runoff

K. Van Tricht,
S. Lhermitte,
J. T. M. Lenaerts,
I. V. Gorodetskaya,
T. S. L’Ecuyer,
B. Noël,
M. R. van den Broeke,
D. D. Turner,
N. P. M. van Lipzig

Affiliations

K. Van Tricht: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Leuven 3001, Belgium
S. Lhermitte: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Leuven 3001, Belgium
J. T. M. Lenaerts: Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research Utrecht—Utrecht University
I. V. Gorodetskaya: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Leuven 3001, Belgium
T. S. L’Ecuyer: Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison
B. Noël: Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research Utrecht—Utrecht University
M. R. van den Broeke: Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research Utrecht—Utrecht University
D. D. Turner: National Severe Storms Laboratory, NOAA
N. P. M. van Lipzig: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Leuven 3001, Belgium

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10266
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Clouds play a pivotal role in the energy and mass balance of the Greenland ice sheet, thereby affecting its contribution to global sea-level rise. Here, using a combination of observations and model simulations, the authors show that clouds enhance Greenland ice sheet meltwater runoff by more than 30%.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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