@article{12574, abstract = {Melt from supraglacial ice cliffs is an important contributor to the mass loss of debris-covered glaciers. However, ice cliff contribution is difficult to quantify as they are highly dynamic features, and the paucity of observations of melt rates and their variability leads to large modelling uncertainties. We quantify monsoon season melt and 3D evolution of four ice cliffs over two debris-covered glaciers in High Mountain Asia (Langtang Glacier, Nepal, and 24K Glacier, China) at very high resolution using terrestrial photogrammetry applied to imagery captured from time-lapse cameras installed on lateral moraines. We derive weekly flow-corrected digital elevation models (DEMs) of the glacier surface with a maximum vertical bias of ±0.2 m for Langtang Glacier and ±0.05 m for 24K Glacier and use change detection to determine distributed melt rates at the surfaces of the ice cliffs throughout the study period. We compare the measured melt patterns with those derived from a 3D energy balance model to derive the contribution of the main energy fluxes. We find that ice cliff melt varies considerably throughout the melt season, with maximum melt rates of 5 to 8 cm d−1, and their average melt rates are 11–14 (Langtang) and 4.5 (24K) times higher than the surrounding debris-covered ice. Our results highlight the influence of redistributed supraglacial debris on cliff melt. At both sites, ice cliff albedo is influenced by the presence of thin debris at the ice cliff surface, which is largely controlled on 24K Glacier by liquid precipitation events that wash away this debris. Slightly thicker or patchy debris reduces melt by 1–3 cm d−1 at all sites. Ultimately, our observations show a strong spatio-temporal variability in cliff area at each site, which is controlled by supraglacial streams and ponds and englacial cavities that promote debris slope destabilisation and the lateral expansion of the cliffs. These findings highlight the need to better represent processes of debris redistribution in ice cliff models, to in turn improve estimates of ice cliff contribution to glacier melt and the long-term geomorphological evolution of debris-covered glacier surfaces.}, author = {Kneib, Marin and Miles, Evan S. and Buri, Pascal and Fugger, Stefan and McCarthy, Michael and Shaw, Thomas E. and Chuanxi, Zhao and Truffer, Martin and Westoby, Matthew J. and Yang, Wei and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1994-0424}, journal = {The Cryosphere}, keywords = {Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology}, number = {11}, pages = {4701--4725}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, title = {{Sub-seasonal variability of supraglacial ice cliff melt rates and associated processes from time-lapse photogrammetry}}, doi = {10.5194/tc-16-4701-2022}, volume = {16}, year = {2022}, } @article{12578, abstract = {Currently, about 12 %–13 % of High Mountain Asia’s glacier area is debris-covered, which alters its surface mass balance. However, in regional-scale modelling approaches, debris-covered glaciers are typically treated as clean-ice glaciers, leading to a bias when modelling their future evolution. Here, we present a new approach for modelling debris area and thickness evolution, applicable from single glaciers to the global scale. We derive a parameterization and implement it as a module into the Global Glacier Evolution Model (GloGEMflow), a combined mass-balance ice-flow model. The module is initialized with both glacier-specific observations of the debris' spatial distribution and estimates of debris thickness. These data sets account for the fact that debris can either enhance or reduce surface melt depending on thickness. Our model approach also enables representing the spatiotemporal evolution of debris extent and thickness. We calibrate and evaluate the module on a selected subset of glaciers and apply GloGEMflow using different climate scenarios to project the future evolution of all glaciers in High Mountain Asia until 2100. Explicitly accounting for debris cover has only a minor effect on the projected mass loss, which is in line with previous projections. Despite this small effect, we argue that the improved process representation is of added value when aiming at capturing intra-glacier scales, i.e. spatial mass-balance distribution. Depending on the climate scenario, the mean debris-cover fraction is expected to increase, while mean debris thickness is projected to show only minor changes, although large local thickening is expected. To isolate the influence of explicitly accounting for supraglacial debris cover, we re-compute glacier evolution without the debris-cover module. We show that glacier geometry, area, volume, and flow velocity evolve differently, especially at the level of individual glaciers. This highlights the importance of accounting for debris cover and its spatiotemporal evolution when projecting future glacier changes.}, author = {Compagno, Loris and Huss, Matthias and Miles, Evan Stewart and McCarthy, Michael James and Zekollari, Harry and Dehecq, Amaury and Pellicciotti, Francesca and Farinotti, Daniel}, issn = {1994-0424}, journal = {The Cryosphere}, keywords = {Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology}, number = {5}, pages = {1697--1718}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, title = {{Modelling supraglacial debris-cover evolution from the single-glacier to the regional scale: An application to High Mountain Asia}}, doi = {10.5194/tc-16-1697-2022}, volume = {16}, year = {2022}, } @article{12579, abstract = {The Indian and East Asian summer monsoons shape the melt and accumulation patterns of glaciers in High Mountain Asia in complex ways due to the interaction of persistent cloud cover, large temperature ranges, high atmospheric water content and high precipitation rates. Glacier energy- and mass-balance modelling using in situ measurements offers insights into the ways in which surface processes are shaped by climatic regimes. In this study, we use a full energy- and mass-balance model and seven on-glacier automatic weather station datasets from different parts of the Central and Eastern Himalaya to investigate how monsoon conditions influence the glacier surface energy and mass balance. In particular, we look at how debris-covered and debris-free glaciers respond differently to monsoonal conditions. The radiation budget primarily controls the melt of clean-ice glaciers, but turbulent fluxes play an important role in modulating the melt energy on debris-covered glaciers. The sensible heat flux decreases during core monsoon, but the latent heat flux cools the surface due to evaporation of liquid water. This interplay of radiative and turbulent fluxes causes debris-covered glacier melt rates to stay almost constant through the different phases of the monsoon. Ice melt under thin debris, on the other hand, is amplified by both the dark surface and the turbulent fluxes, which intensify melt during monsoon through surface heating and condensation. Pre-monsoon snow cover can considerably delay melt onset and have a strong impact on the seasonal mass balance. Intermittent monsoon snow cover lowers the melt rates at high elevation. This work is fundamental to the understanding of the present and future Himalayan cryosphere and water budget, while informing and motivating further glacier- and catchment-scale research using process-based models.}, author = {Fugger, Stefan and Fyffe, Catriona L. and Fatichi, Simone and Miles, Evan and McCarthy, Michael and Shaw, Thomas E. and Ding, Baohong and Yang, Wei and Wagnon, Patrick and Immerzeel, Walter and Liu, Qiao and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1994-0424}, journal = {The Cryosphere}, keywords = {Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology}, number = {5}, pages = {1631--1652}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, title = {{Understanding monsoon controls on the energy and mass balance of glaciers in the Central and Eastern Himalaya}}, doi = {10.5194/tc-16-1631-2022}, volume = {16}, year = {2022}, } @article{12589, abstract = {Near-surface air temperature (Ta) is highly important for modelling glacier ablation, though its spatio-temporal variability over melting glaciers still remains largely unknown. We present a new dataset of distributed Ta for three glaciers of different size in the south-east Tibetan Plateau during two monsoon-dominated summer seasons. We compare on-glacier Ta to ambient Ta extrapolated from several local off-glacier stations. We parameterise the along-flowline sensitivity of Ta on these glaciers to changes in off-glacier temperatures (referred to as “temperature sensitivity”) and present the results in the context of available distributed on-glacier datasets around the world. Temperature sensitivity decreases rapidly up to 2000–3000 m along the down-glacier flowline distance. Beyond this distance, both the Ta on the Tibetan glaciers and global glacier datasets show little additional cooling relative to the off-glacier temperature. In general, Ta on small glaciers (with flowline distances <1000 m) is highly sensitive to temperature changes outside the glacier boundary layer. The climatology of a given region can influence the general magnitude of this temperature sensitivity, though no strong relationships are found between along-flowline temperature sensitivity and mean summer temperatures or precipitation. The terminus of some glaciers is affected by other warm-air processes that increase temperature sensitivity (such as divergent boundary layer flow, warm up-valley winds or debris/valley heating effects) which are evident only beyond ∼70 % of the total glacier flowline distance. Our results therefore suggest a strong role of local effects in modulating temperature sensitivity close to the glacier terminus, although further work is still required to explain the variability of these effects for different glaciers.}, author = {Shaw, Thomas E. and Yang, Wei and Ayala, Álvaro and Bravo, Claudio and Zhao, Chuanxi and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1994-0424}, journal = {The Cryosphere}, keywords = {Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology}, number = {2}, pages = {595--614}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, title = {{Distributed summer air temperatures across mountain glaciers in the south-east Tibetan Plateau: Temperature sensitivity and comparison with existing glacier datasets}}, doi = {10.5194/tc-15-595-2021}, volume = {15}, year = {2021}, } @article{12594, abstract = {Information about end-of-winter spatial distribution of snow depth is important for seasonal forecasts of spring/summer streamflow in high-mountain regions. Nevertheless, such information typically relies upon extrapolation from a sparse network of observations at low elevations. Here, we test the potential of high-resolution snow depth data derived from optical stereophotogrammetry of Pléiades satellites for improving the representation of snow depth initial conditions (SDICs) in a glacio-hydrological model and assess potential improvements in the skill of snowmelt and streamflow simulations in a high-elevation Andean catchment. We calibrate model parameters controlling glacier mass balance and snow cover evolution using ground-based and satellite observations, and consider the relative importance of accurate estimates of SDICs compared to model parameters and forcings. We find that Pléiades SDICs improve the simulation of snow-covered area, glacier mass balance, and monthly streamflow compared to alternative SDICs based upon extrapolation of meteorological variables or statistical methods to estimate SDICs based upon topography. Model simulations are found to be sensitive to SDICs in the early spring (up to 48% variability in modeled streamflow compared to the best estimate model), and to temperature gradients in all months that control albedo and melt rates over a large elevation range (>2,400 m). As such, appropriately characterizing the distribution of total snow volume with elevation is important for reproducing total streamflow and the proportions of snowmelt. Therefore, optical stereo-photogrammetry offers an advantage for obtaining SDICs that aid both the timing and magnitude of streamflow simulations, process representation (e.g., snow cover evolution) and has the potential for large spatial domains.}, author = {Shaw, Thomas E. and Caro, Alexis and Mendoza, Pablo and Ayala, Álvaro and Pellicciotti, Francesca and Gascoin, Simon and McPhee, James}, issn = {1944-7973}, journal = {Water Resources Research}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {8}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, title = {{The utility of optical satellite winter snow depths for initializing a glacio‐hydrological model of a High‐Elevation, Andean catchment}}, doi = {10.1029/2020wr027188}, volume = {56}, year = {2020}, } @article{12596, abstract = {As glaciers adjust their size in response to climate variations, long-term changes in meltwater production can be expected, affecting the local availability of water resources. We investigate glacier runoff in the period 1955–2016 in the Maipo River basin (4843 km2, 33.0–34.3∘ S, 69.8–70.5∘ W), in the semiarid Andes of Chile. The basin contains more than 800 glaciers, which cover 378 km2 in total (inventoried in 2000). We model the mass balance and runoff contribution of 26 glaciers with the physically oriented and fully distributed TOPKAPI (Topographic Kinematic Approximation and Integration)-ETH glacio-hydrological model and extrapolate the results to the entire basin. TOPKAPI-ETH is run at a daily time step using several glaciological and meteorological datasets, and its results are evaluated against streamflow records, remotely sensed snow cover, and geodetic mass balances for the periods 1955–2000 and 2000–2013. Results show that in 1955–2016 glacier mass balance had a general decreasing trend as a basin average but also had differences between the main sub-catchments. Glacier volume decreased by one-fifth (from 18.6±4.5 to 14.9±2.9 km3). Runoff from the initially glacierized areas was 177±25 mm yr−1 (16±7 % of the total contributions to the basin), but it shows a decreasing sequence of maxima, which can be linked to the interplay between a decrease in precipitation since the 1980s and the reduction of ice melt. Glaciers in the Maipo River basin will continue retreating because they are not in equilibrium with the current climate. In a hypothetical constant climate scenario, glacier volume would reduce to 81±38 % of the year 2000 volume, and glacier runoff would be 78±30 % of the 1955–2016 average. This would considerably decrease the drought mitigation capacity of the basin.}, author = {Ayala, Álvaro and Farías-Barahona, David and Huss, Matthias and Pellicciotti, Francesca and McPhee, James and Farinotti, Daniel}, issn = {1994-0424}, journal = {The Cryosphere}, keywords = {Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology}, number = {6}, pages = {2005--2027}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, title = {{Glacier runoff variations since 1955 in the Maipo River basin, in the semiarid Andes of central Chile}}, doi = {10.5194/tc-14-2005-2020}, volume = {14}, year = {2020}, } @article{12598, abstract = {Obtaining detailed information about high mountain snowpacks is often limited by insufficient ground-based observations and uncertainty in the (re)distribution of solid precipitation. We utilize high-resolution optical images from Pléiades satellites to generate a snow depth map, at a spatial resolution of 4 m, for a high mountain catchment of central Chile. Results are negatively biased (median difference of −0.22 m) when compared against observations from a terrestrial Light Detection And Ranging scan, though replicate general snow depth variability well. Additionally, the Pléiades dataset is subject to data gaps (17% of total pixels), negative values for shallow snow (12%), and noise on slopes >40–50° (2%). We correct and filter the Pléiades snow depths using surface classification techniques of snow-free areas and a random forest model for data gap filling. Snow depths (with an estimated error of ~0.36 m) average 1.66 m and relate well to topographical parameters such as elevation and northness in a similar way to previous studies. However, estimations of snow depth based upon topography (TOPO) or physically based modeling (DBSM) cannot resolve localized processes (i.e., avalanching or wind scouring) that are detected by Pléiades, even when forced with locally calibrated data. Comparing these alternative model approaches to corrected Pléiades snow depths reveals total snow volume differences between −28% (DBSM) and +54% (TOPO) for the catchment and large differences across most elevation bands. Pléiades represents an important contribution to understanding snow accumulation at sparsely monitored catchments, though ideally requires a careful systematic validation procedure to identify catchment-scale biases and errors in the snow depth derivation.}, author = {Shaw, Thomas E. and Gascoin, Simon and Mendoza, Pablo A. and Pellicciotti, Francesca and McPhee, James}, issn = {1944-7973}, journal = {Water Resources Research}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {2}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, title = {{Snow depth patterns in a high mountain Andean catchment from satellite optical tristereoscopic remote sensing}}, doi = {10.1029/2019wr024880}, volume = {56}, year = {2020}, } @article{12600, abstract = {The snow cover dynamics of High Mountain Asia are usually assessed at spatial resolutions of 250 m or greater, but this scale is too coarse to clearly represent the rugged topography common to the region. Higher-resolution measurement of snow-covered area often results in biased sampling due to cloud cover and deep shadows. We therefore develop a Normalized Difference Snow Index-based workflow to delineate snow lines from Landsat Thematic Mapper/Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ imagery and apply it to the upper Langtang Valley in Nepal, processing 194 scenes spanning 1999 to 2013. For each scene, we determine the spatial distribution of snow line altitudes (SLAs) with respect to aspect and across six subcatchments. Our results show that the mean SLA exhibits distinct seasonal behavior based on aspect and subcatchment position. We find that SLA dynamics respond to spatial and seasonal trade-offs in precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation, which act as primary controls. We identify two SLA spatial gradients, which we attribute to the effect of spatially variable precipitation. Our results also reveal that aspect-related SLA differences vary seasonally and are influenced by solar radiation. In terms of seasonal dominant controls, we demonstrate that the snow line is controlled by snow precipitation in winter, melt in premonsoon, a combination of both in postmonsoon, and temperature in monsoon, explaining to a large extent the spatial and seasonal variability of the SLA in the upper Langtang Valley. We conclude that while SLA and snow-covered area are complementary metrics, the SLA has a strong potential for understanding local-scale snow cover dynamics and their controlling mechanisms.}, author = {Girona‐Mata, Marc and Miles, Evan S. and Ragettli, Silvan and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1944-7973}, journal = {Water Resources Research}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {8}, pages = {6754--6772}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, title = {{High‐resolution snowline delineation from Landsat imagery to infer snow cover controls in a Himalayan catchment}}, doi = {10.1029/2019wr024935}, volume = {55}, year = {2019}, } @article{12603, abstract = {We present a field-data rich modelling analysis to reconstruct the climatic forcing, glacier response, and runoff generation from a high-elevation catchment in central Chile over the period 2000–2015 to provide insights into the differing contributions of debris-covered and debris-free glaciers under current and future changing climatic conditions. Model simulations with the physically based glacio-hydrological model TOPKAPI-ETH reveal a period of neutral or slightly positive mass balance between 2000 and 2010, followed by a transition to increasingly large annual mass losses, associated with a recent mega drought. Mass losses commence earlier, and are more severe, for a heavily debris-covered glacier, most likely due to its strong dependence on snow avalanche accumulation, which has declined in recent years. Catchment runoff shows a marked decreasing trend over the study period, but with high interannual variability directly linked to winter snow accumulation, and high contribution from ice melt in dry periods and drought conditions. The study demonstrates the importance of incorporating local-scale processes such as snow avalanche accumulation and spatially variable debris thickness, in understanding the responses of different glacier types to climate change. We highlight the increased dependency of runoff from high Andean catchments on the diminishing resource of glacier ice during dry years.}, author = {Burger, Flavia and Ayala, Alvaro and Farias, David and Shaw, Thomas E. and MacDonell, Shelley and Brock, Ben and McPhee, James and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1099-1085}, journal = {Hydrological Processes}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {2}, pages = {214--229}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{Interannual variability in glacier contribution to runoff from a high‐elevation Andean catchment: Understanding the role of debris cover in glacier hydrology}}, doi = {10.1002/hyp.13354}, volume = {33}, year = {2018}, } @article{12605, abstract = {Snow depth patterns over glaciers are controlled by precipitation, snow redistribution due to wind and avalanches, and the exchange of energy with the atmosphere that determines snow ablation. While many studies have advanced the understanding of ablation processes, less is known about winter snow patterns and their variability over glaciers. We analyze snow depth on Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, in the two winter seasons 2006–2007 and 2010–2011 to (1) understand whether snow depth over an alpine glacier at the end of the accumulation season exhibits a behavior similar to the one observed on single slopes and vegetated areas; and (2) investigate the snow pattern consistency over the two accumulation seasons. We perform this analysis on a data set of high-resolution lidar-derived snow depth using variograms and fractal parameters. Our first main result is that snow depth patterns on the glacier exhibit a multiscale behavior, with a scale break around 20 m after which the fractal dimension increases, indicating more autocorrelated structure before the scale break than after. Second, this behavior is consistent over the two years, with fractal parameters and their spatial variability almost constant in the two seasons. We also show that snow depth patterns exhibit a distinct behavior in the glacier tongue and the upper catchment, with longer correlation distances on the tongue in the direction of the main winds, suggesting spatial distinctions that are likely induced by different processes and that should be taken into account when extrapolating snow depth from limited samples.}, author = {Clemenzi, I. and Pellicciotti, Francesca and Burlando, P.}, issn = {1944-7973}, journal = {Water Resources Research}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {10}, pages = {7929--7945}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, title = {{Snow depth structure, fractal behavior, and interannual consistency over Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland}}, doi = {10.1029/2017wr021606}, volume = {54}, year = {2018}, } @article{12606, abstract = {Ice cliffs within a supraglacial debris cover have been identified as a source for high ablation relative to the surrounding debris-covered area. Due to their small relative size and steep orientation, ice cliffs are difficult to detect using nadir-looking space borne sensors. The method presented here uses surface slopes calculated from digital elevation model (DEM) data to map ice cliff geometry and produce an ice cliff probability map. Surface slope thresholds, which can be sensitive to geographic location and/or data quality, are selected automatically. The method also attempts to include area at the (often narrowing) ends of ice cliffs which could otherwise be neglected due to signal saturation in surface slope data. The method was calibrated in the eastern Alaska Range, Alaska, USA, against a control ice cliff dataset derived from high-resolution visible and thermal data. Using the same input parameter set that performed best in Alaska, the method was tested against ice cliffs manually mapped in the Khumbu Himal, Nepal. Our results suggest the method can accommodate different glaciological settings and different DEM data sources without a data intensive (high-resolution, multi-data source) recalibration.}, author = {Herreid, Sam and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1994-0424}, journal = {The Cryosphere}, keywords = {Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology}, number = {5}, pages = {1811--1829}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, title = {{Automated detection of ice cliffs within supraglacial debris cover}}, doi = {10.5194/tc-12-1811-2018}, volume = {12}, year = {2018}, } @article{12611, abstract = {We investigate the energy balance and ablation regimes of glaciers in high-elevation, dry environments using glaciometeorological data collected on six glaciers in the semiarid Andes of North-Central Chile (29–34°S, 3127–5324 m). We use a point-scale physically based energy balance (EB) model and an enhanced Temperature-Index (ETI) model that calculates melt rates only as a function of air temperature and net shortwave radiation. At all sites, the largest energy inputs are net shortwave and incoming longwave radiation, which are controlled by surface albedo and elevation, respectively. Turbulent fluxes cancel each other out at the lower sites, but as elevation increases, cold, dry and wind-exposed conditions increase the magnitude of negative latent heat fluxes, associated with large surface sublimation rates. In midsummer (January), ablation rates vary from 67.9 mm w.e. d−1 at the lowest site (∼100% corresponding to melt), to 2.3 mm w.e. d−1 at the highest site (>85% corresponding to surface sublimation). At low-elevation, low-albedo, melt-dominated sites, the ETI model correctly reproduces melt using a large range of possible parameters, but both the performance and parameter transferability decrease with elevation for two main reasons: (i) the air temperature threshold approach for melt onset does not capture the diurnal variability of melt in cold and strong irradiated environments and (ii) energy losses decrease the correlation between melt and net shortwave radiation. We summarize our results by means of an elevation profile of ablation components that can be used as reference in future studies of glacier ablation in the semiarid Andes.}, author = {Ayala, A. and Pellicciotti, Francesca and MacDonell, S. and McPhee, J. and Burlando, P.}, issn = {0043-1397}, journal = {Water Resources Research}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {7}, pages = {5601--5625}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, title = {{Patterns of glacier ablation across North-Central Chile: Identifying the limits of empirical melt models under sublimation-favorable conditions}}, doi = {10.1002/2016wr020126}, volume = {53}, year = {2017}, } @article{12615, abstract = {We apply the process-based, distributed TOPKAPI-ETH glacio-hydrological model to a glacierized catchment (19% glacierized) in the semiarid Andes of central Chile. The semiarid Andes provides vital freshwater resources to valleys in Chile and Argentina, but only few glacio-hydrological modelling studies have been conducted, and its dominant hydrological processes remain poorly understood. The catchment contains two debris-free glaciers reaching down to 3900 m asl (Bello and Yeso glaciers) and one debris-covered avalanche-fed glacier reaching to 3200 m asl (Piramide Glacier). Our main objective is to compare the mass balance and runoff contributions of both glacier types under current climatic conditions. We use a unique dataset of field measurements collected over two ablation seasons combined with the distributed TOPKAPI-ETH model that includes physically oriented parameterizations of snow and ice ablation, gravitational distribution of snow, snow albedo evolution and the ablation of debris-covered ice. Model outputs indicate that while the mass balance of Bello and Yeso glaciers is mostly explained by temperature gradients, the Piramide Glacier mass balance is governed by debris thickness and avalanches and has a clear non-linear profile with elevation as a result. Despite the thermal insulation effect of the debris cover, the mass balance and contribution to runoff from debris-free and debris-covered glaciers are similar in magnitude, mainly because of elevation differences. However, runoff contributions are distinct in time and seasonality with ice melt starting approximately four weeks earlier from the debris-covered glacier, what is of relevance for water resources management. At the catchment scale, snowmelt is the dominant contributor to runoff during both years. However, during the driest year of our simulations, ice melt contributes 42 ± 8% and 67 ± 6% of the annual and summer runoff, respectively. Sensitivity analyses show that runoff is most sensitive to temperature and precipitation gradients, melt factors and debris cover thickness. }, author = {Ayala, A. and Pellicciotti, Francesca and MacDonell, S. and McPhee, J. and Vivero, S. and Campos, C. and Egli, P.}, issn = {0885-6087}, journal = {Hydrological Processes}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {22}, pages = {4036--4058}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{Modelling the hydrological response of debris-free and debris-covered glaciers to present climatic conditions in the semiarid Andes of central Chile}}, doi = {10.1002/hyp.10971}, volume = {30}, year = {2016}, } @article{12616, abstract = {This paper presents a methodology for hydrograph separation in mountain watersheds, which aims at identifying flow sources among ungauged headwater sub-catchments through a combination of observed streamflow and data on natural tracers including isotope and dissolved solids. Daily summer and bi-daily spring season water samples obtained at the outlet of the Juncal River Basin in the Andes of Central Chile were analysed for all major ions as well as stable water isotopes, δ18O and δD. Additionally, various samples from rain, snow, surface streams and exfiltrating subsurface water (springs) were sampled throughout the catchment. A principal component analysis was performed in order to address cross-correlation in the tracer dataset, reduce the dimensionality of the problem and uncover patterns of variability. Potential sources were identified in a two-component U-space that explains 94% of the observed tracer variability at the catchment outlet. Hydrograph separation was performed through an Informative-Bayesian model. Our results indicate that the Juncal Norte Glacier headwater sub-catchment contributed at least 50% of summer flows at the Juncal River Basin outlet during the 2011–2012 water year (a hydrologically dry period in the Region), even though it accounts for only 27% of the basin area. Our study confirms the value of combining solute and isotope information for estimating source contributions in complex hydrologic systems, and provides insights regarding experimental design in high-elevation semi-arid catchments. The findings of this study can be useful for evaluating modelling studies of the hydrological consequences of the rapid decrease in glacier cover observed in this region, by providing insights into the origin of river water in basins with little hydrometeorological information.}, author = {Rodriguez, Maximiliano and Ohlanders, Nils and Pellicciotti, Francesca and Williams, Mark W. and McPhee, James}, issn = {0885-6087}, journal = {Hydrological Processes}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {20}, pages = {3609--3626}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{Estimating runoff from a glacierized catchment using natural tracers in the semi-arid Andes cordillera}}, doi = {10.1002/hyp.10973}, volume = {30}, year = {2016}, } @article{12617, abstract = {This study presents volume and mass changes of seven (five partially debris-covered, two debris-free) glaciers in the upper Langtang catchment in Nepal. We use a digital elevation model (DEM) from 1974 stereo Hexagon satellite data and seven DEMs derived from 2006–2015 stereo or tri-stereo satellite imagery (e.g., SPOT6/7). The availability of multiple independent DEM differences allows the identification of a robust signal and narrowing down of the uncertainty about recent volume changes. The volume changes calculated over several multiyear periods between 2006 and 2015 consistently indicate that glacier thinning has accelerated with respect to the period 1974–2006. We calculate an ensemble-mean elevation change rate of –0.45 ± 0.18 m a−1 for 2006–2015, while for the period 1974–2006 we compute a rate of −0.24 ± 0.08 m a−1. However, the behavior of glaciers in the study area is heterogeneous, and the presence or absence of debris does not seem to be a good predictor for mass balance trends. Debris-covered tongues have nonlinear thinning profiles, and we show that recent accelerations in thinning correlate with the presence of supraglacial cliffs and lakes. At stagnating glacier areas near the glacier front, however, thinning rates decreased with time or remained constant. The April 2015 Nepal earthquake triggered large avalanches in the study catchment. Analysis of two post-earthquake DEMs revealed that the avalanche deposit volumes remaining 6 months after the earthquake are negligible in comparison to 2006–2015 elevation changes. However, the deposits compensate about 40 % the mass loss of debris-covered tongues of 1 average year.}, author = {Ragettli, Silvan and Bolch, Tobias and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1994-0424}, journal = {The Cryosphere}, keywords = {Earth-Surface Processes, Water Science and Technology}, number = {5}, pages = {2075--2097}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, title = {{Heterogeneous glacier thinning patterns over the last 40 years in Langtang Himal, Nepal}}, doi = {10.5194/tc-10-2075-2016}, volume = {10}, year = {2016}, } @article{12620, abstract = {Debris-covered glaciers are increasingly studied because it is assumed that debris cover extent and thickness could increase in a warming climate, with more regular rockfalls from the surrounding slopes and more englacial melt-out material. Debris energy-balance models have been developed to account for the melt rate enhancement/reduction due to a thin/thick debris layer, respectively. However, such models require a large amount of input data that are not often available, especially in remote mountain areas such as the Himalaya, and can be difficult to extrapolate. Due to their lower data requirements, empirical models have been used extensively in clean glacier melt modelling. For debris-covered glaciers, however, they generally simplify the debris effect by using a single melt-reduction factor which does not account for the influence of varying debris thickness on melt and prescribe a constant reduction for the entire melt across a glacier. In this paper, we present a new temperature-index model that accounts for debris thickness in the computation of melt rates at the debris-ice interface. The model empirical parameters are optimized at the point scale for varying debris thicknesses against melt rates simulated by a physically-based debris energy balance model. The latter is validated against ablation stake readings and surface temperature measurements. Each parameter is then related to a plausible set of debris thickness values to provide a general and transferable parameterization. We develop the model on Miage Glacier, Italy, and then test its transferability on Haut Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland. The performance of the new debris temperature-index (DETI) model in simulating the glacier melt rate at the point scale is comparable to the one of the physically based approach, and the definition of model parameters as a function of debris thickness allows the simulation of the nonlinear relationship of melt rate to debris thickness, summarised by the Østrem curve. Its large number of parameters might be a limitation, but we show that the model is transferable in time and space to a second glacier with little loss of performance. We thus suggest that the new DETI model can be included in continuous mass balance models of debris-covered glaciers, because of its limited data requirements. As such, we expect its application to lead to an improvement in simulations of the debris-covered glacier response to climate in comparison with models that simply recalibrate empirical parameters to prescribe a constant across glacier reduction in melt.}, author = {Carenzo, M. and Pellicciotti, Francesca and Mabillard, J. and Reid, T. and Brock, B.W.}, issn = {0309-1708}, journal = {Advances in Water Resources}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, pages = {457--469}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{An enhanced temperature index model for debris-covered glaciers accounting for thickness effect}}, doi = {10.1016/j.advwatres.2016.05.001}, volume = {94}, year = {2016}, } @article{12629, abstract = {Meteorological studies in high-mountain environments form the basis of our understanding of catchment hydrology and glacier accumulation and melt processes, yet high-altitude (>4000 m above sea level, asl) observatories are rare. This research presents meteorological data recorded between December 2012 and November 2013 at seven stations in Nepal, ranging in elevation from 3860 to 5360 m asl. Seasonal and diurnal cycles in air temperature, vapour pressure, incoming short-wave and long-wave radiation, atmospheric transmissivity, wind speed, and precipitation are compared between sites. Solar radiation strongly affects diurnal temperature and vapour pressure cycles, but local topography and valley-scale circulations alter wind speed and precipitation cycles. The observed diurnal variability in vertical temperature gradients in all seasons highlights the importance of in situ measurements for melt modelling. The monsoon signal (progressive onset and sharp end) is visible in all data-sets, and the passage of the remnants of Typhoon Phailin in mid-October 2013 provides an interesting case study on the possible effects of such storms on glaciers in the region.}, author = {Shea, J.M. and Wagnon, P. and Immerzeel, W.W. and Biron, R. and Brun, F. and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1360-0648}, journal = {International Journal of Water Resources Development}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology, Development}, number = {2}, pages = {174--200}, publisher = {Taylor & Francis}, title = {{A comparative high-altitude meteorological analysis from three catchments in the Nepalese Himalaya}}, doi = {10.1080/07900627.2015.1020417}, volume = {31}, year = {2015}, } @article{12630, abstract = {The hydrology of high-elevation watersheds of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region (HKH) is poorly known. The correct representation of internal states and process dynamics in glacio-hydrological models can often not be verified due to missing in situ measurements. We use a new set of detailed ground data from the upper Langtang valley in Nepal to systematically guide a state-of-the art glacio-hydrological model through a parameter assigning process with the aim to understand the hydrology of the catchment and contribution of snow and ice processes to runoff. 14 parameters are directly calculated on the basis of local data, and 13 parameters are calibrated against 5 different datasets of in situ or remote sensing data. Spatial fields of debris thickness are reconstructed through a novel approach that employs data from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), energy balance modeling and statistical techniques. The model is validated against measured catchment runoff (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency 0.87) and modeled snow cover is compared to Landsat snow cover. The advanced representation of processes allowed assessing the role played by avalanching for runoff for the first time for a Himalayan catchment (5% of annual water inputs to the hydrological system are due to snow redistribution) and to quantify the hydrological significance of sub-debris ice melt (9% of annual water inputs). Snowmelt is the most important contributor to total runoff during the hydrological year 2012/2013 (representing 40% of all sources), followed by rainfall (34%) and ice melt (26%). A sensitivity analysis is used to assess the efficiency of the monitoring network and identify the timing and location of field measurements that constrain model uncertainty. The methodology to set up a glacio-hydrological model in high-elevation regions presented in this study can be regarded as a benchmark for modelers in the HKH seeking to evaluate their calibration approach, their experimental setup and thus to reduce the predictive model uncertainty. }, author = {Ragettli, S. and Pellicciotti, Francesca and Immerzeel, W.W. and Miles, E.S. and Petersen, L. and Heynen, M. and Shea, J.M. and Stumm, D. and Joshi, S. and Shrestha, A.}, issn = {0309-1708}, journal = {Advances in Water Resources}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {4}, pages = {94--111}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{Unraveling the hydrology of a Himalayan catchment through integration of high resolution in situ data and remote sensing with an advanced simulation model}}, doi = {10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.01.013}, volume = {78}, year = {2015}, } @article{12637, abstract = {The performance of glaciohydrological models which simulate catchment response to climate variability depends to a large degree on the data used to force the models. The forcing data become increasingly important in high-elevation, glacierized catchments where the interplay between extreme topography, climate, and the cryosphere is complex. It is challenging to generate a reliable forcing data set that captures this spatial heterogeneity. In this paper, we analyze the results of a 1 year field campaign focusing on air temperature and precipitation observations in the Langtang valley in the Nepalese Himalayas. We use the observed time series to characterize both temperature lapse rates (LRs) and precipitation gradients (PGs). We study their spatial and temporal variability, and we attempt to identify possible controlling factors. We show that very clear LRs exist in the valley and that there are strong seasonal differences related to the water vapor content in the atmosphere. Results also show that the LRs are generally shallower than the commonly used environmental lapse rates. The analysis of the precipitation observations reveals that there is great variability in precipitation over short horizontal distances. A uniform valley wide PG cannot be established, and several scale-dependent mechanisms may explain our observations. We complete our analysis by showing the impact of the observed LRs and PGs on the outputs of the TOPKAPI-ETH glaciohydrological model. We conclude that LRs and PGs have a very large impact on the water balance composition and that short-term monitoring campaigns have the potential to improve model quality considerably.}, author = {Immerzeel, W. W. and Petersen, L. and Ragettli, S. and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {1944-7973}, journal = {Water Resources Research}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {3}, pages = {2212--2226}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, title = {{The importance of observed gradients of air temperature and precipitation for modeling runoff from a glacierized watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas}}, doi = {10.1002/2013wr014506}, volume = {50}, year = {2014}, } @article{12633, abstract = {We use two hydrological models of varying complexity to study the Juncal River Basin in the Central Andes of Chile with the aim to understand the degree of conceptualization and the spatial structure that are needed to model present and future streamflows. We use a conceptual semi-distributed model based on elevation bands [Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP)], frequently used for water management, and a physically oriented, fully distributed model [Topographic Kinematic Wave Approximation and Integration ETH Zurich (TOPKAPI-ETH)] developed for research purposes mainly. We evaluate the ability of the two models to reproduce the key hydrological processes in the basin with emphasis on snow accumulation and melt, streamflow and the relationships between internal processes. Both models are capable of reproducing observed runoff and the evolution of Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer snow cover adequately. In spite of WEAP's simple and conceptual approach for modelling snowmelt and its lack of glacier representation and snow gravitational redistribution as well as a proper routing algorithm, this model can reproduce historical data with a similar goodness of fit as the more complex TOPKAPI-ETH. We show that the performance of both models can be improved by using measured precipitation gradients of higher temporal resolution. In contrast to the good performance of the conceptual model for the present climate, however, we demonstrate that the simplifications in WEAP lead to error compensation, which results in different predictions in simulated melt and runoff for a potentially warmer future climate. TOPKAPI-ETH, using a more physical representation of processes, depends less on calibration and thus is less subject to a compensation of errors through different model components. Our results show that data obtained locally in ad hoc short-term field campaigns are needed to complement data extrapolated from long-term records for simulating changes in the water cycle of high-elevation catchments but that these data can only be efficiently used by a model applying a spatially distributed physical representation of hydrological processes.}, author = {Ragettli, S. and Cortés, G. and McPhee, J. and Pellicciotti, Francesca}, issn = {0885-6087}, journal = {Hydrological Processes}, keywords = {Water Science and Technology}, number = {23}, pages = {5674--5695}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{An evaluation of approaches for modelling hydrological processes in high-elevation, glacierized Andean watersheds}}, doi = {10.1002/hyp.10055}, volume = {28}, year = {2013}, }