Assessment of Variations in the Snow Accumalation Rate in Northern Greenland

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This award is for support for a 3 year program to assess the variation in the snow accumulation rate in northern Greenland. Previous work has shown that isotope records from shallow ice cores can be used to identify interannual and perhaps seasonal cycles of snow temperature and accumulation. In order to assess seasonal and interannual variability, the isotope temperature record requires calibration from in situ meteorologic measurements. On- going remote sensing research appears to show that interannual trends in brightness temperature can be used as proxy data for annual accumulation but this work requires calibration from ice core data in northern Greenland. Combining stable isotope measurements, remote sensing, and surface energy balance data will allow an assessment of how interannual and seasonal processes affect the magnitude and variability of snow accumulation. Meteorologic data collection stations will be established and five shallow ice cores will be drilled in a 400 km2 area around each of two stations, one in northeastern and one in northwestern Greenland. Argos satellite links will provide data transmission capability from each remote site. Grain size and temperature profiles, sublimation, and energy balance will be calculated using a one-dimensional energy and mass flux model.