| Project name |
Development of a Coupled 3D Firn and Surface EnergyBalance Model for the Simulation of Firn-Meltwater Interaction |
|---|---|
| Project partner | TU Darmstadt, Institute for Mechanics |
| Grantor | DFG priority programme 1158 “Antarctic Research with Comparative Investigations in Arctic Ice Areas” |
| Duration | from: 2026-11-01 to: 2028-10-31 |
|
Research field |
M+M & E+E (E+E > Energy + Environment I+I > Information + Intelligence M+M > Matter + Materials) |
| Project content |
The firn layer of Antarctica is undergoing rapid change due to the warming of the continent. Current models cannot simulate how surface meltwater flows laterally through the firn. However, describing this process is crucial for determining the mass balance of the ice sheet and thus its contribution to sea level rise. The proposed project will develop a three-dimensional model that couples the hydrology of firn with the surface energy balance to enable realistic simulations of this process. The approach used for this combines physical modeling of firn hydrology with modeling of ice sheet surface processes. During the project, individual model components will be systematically developed and tested. Established benchmarks will be used as well as new three-dimensional validation experiments, that will be developed. A subsequent study of the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctica will provide both new scientific insights and proof of concept for broader application of the newly developed model to other regions of the ice sheet. The project builds on existing preliminary work and establishes several national and international collaborations. The collaboration partners contribute field data and high-resolution climate data to the project to develop new validation experiments and drive the simulations. The project pursues an open-access strategy to enable broad use of data and software by the research community. In addition to the validated three-dimensional firn model, the expected results include a quantitative assessment of the influence of lateral meltwater flow through the firn on the ice sheet mass balance and new standardized benchmarks for model comparison. |
Although Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth, the firn now melts regularly, as can be seen here on the Antarctic Peninsula. To understand the interaction between meltwater and the firn, new models must be developed (satellite image: Landsat-8 courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, accessed 24.09.2024).
The term firn describes the snow layer that covers Earth's ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica.
From a mechanical perspective firn is a very interesting material.
