Abstract
The ID multilayered physical snowpack model Snow Metamorphism and Albedo Process (SMAP), which was originally designed for climate studies, is now updated by incorporating a detailed water movement scheme, realistic snow settlement process and limitation for the Richardson number to ensure minimum turbulent exchanges even under highly stable atmospheric conditions. The evaluation of the updated version of SMAP was first performed using the data obtained at Sapporo, Japan, during the 2007-2009 winters and the effectiveness of these updates was demonstrated in terms of snow depth and snow surface temperature. However, we pointed out that the choice of maximum Richardson number should be further examined. To test the reliability of SMAP under different climate conditions, we applied it to Naga oka, Japan, during the 2011-2012 winter. At Nagaoka, we performed snow-soil-coupled simulations, because ground heat flux was not available during the study period. For this purpose, we developed a soil submodel for SMAP. Consequently, we confirmed that the updated version performed better than the old version in terms of mass balance simulations at Nagaoka too. Although mass balance-related parameters of the snowpack simulated by the updated version agreed well with observations during the accumulation period, the model substantially overestimated snow depth, as well as column-integrated snow water equivalent during the ablation period. By discussing the reasons for these discrepancies, we highlighted that further investigation on snow-melt processes for thick seasonal snowpack is necessary.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 65-78 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Bulletin of Glaciological Research |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Physical snowpack model
- physically based snow albedo model
- Snow impurity
- Snow Metamorphism and Albedo Process (SMAP)
- Snow-soil-coupled simulation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth-Surface Processes
Cite this
Evaluation of updated physical snowpack model SMAP. / Niwano, Masashi; Aoki, Teruo; Kuchiki, Katsuyuki; Hosaka, Masahiro; Kodama, Yuji; Yamaguchi, Satoru; Motoyoshi, Hiroki; Iwata, Yukiyoshi.
In: Bulletin of Glaciological Research, Vol. 32, No. 1, 2014, p. 65-78.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of updated physical snowpack model SMAP
AU - Niwano, Masashi
AU - Aoki, Teruo
AU - Kuchiki, Katsuyuki
AU - Hosaka, Masahiro
AU - Kodama, Yuji
AU - Yamaguchi, Satoru
AU - Motoyoshi, Hiroki
AU - Iwata, Yukiyoshi
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The ID multilayered physical snowpack model Snow Metamorphism and Albedo Process (SMAP), which was originally designed for climate studies, is now updated by incorporating a detailed water movement scheme, realistic snow settlement process and limitation for the Richardson number to ensure minimum turbulent exchanges even under highly stable atmospheric conditions. The evaluation of the updated version of SMAP was first performed using the data obtained at Sapporo, Japan, during the 2007-2009 winters and the effectiveness of these updates was demonstrated in terms of snow depth and snow surface temperature. However, we pointed out that the choice of maximum Richardson number should be further examined. To test the reliability of SMAP under different climate conditions, we applied it to Naga oka, Japan, during the 2011-2012 winter. At Nagaoka, we performed snow-soil-coupled simulations, because ground heat flux was not available during the study period. For this purpose, we developed a soil submodel for SMAP. Consequently, we confirmed that the updated version performed better than the old version in terms of mass balance simulations at Nagaoka too. Although mass balance-related parameters of the snowpack simulated by the updated version agreed well with observations during the accumulation period, the model substantially overestimated snow depth, as well as column-integrated snow water equivalent during the ablation period. By discussing the reasons for these discrepancies, we highlighted that further investigation on snow-melt processes for thick seasonal snowpack is necessary.
AB - The ID multilayered physical snowpack model Snow Metamorphism and Albedo Process (SMAP), which was originally designed for climate studies, is now updated by incorporating a detailed water movement scheme, realistic snow settlement process and limitation for the Richardson number to ensure minimum turbulent exchanges even under highly stable atmospheric conditions. The evaluation of the updated version of SMAP was first performed using the data obtained at Sapporo, Japan, during the 2007-2009 winters and the effectiveness of these updates was demonstrated in terms of snow depth and snow surface temperature. However, we pointed out that the choice of maximum Richardson number should be further examined. To test the reliability of SMAP under different climate conditions, we applied it to Naga oka, Japan, during the 2011-2012 winter. At Nagaoka, we performed snow-soil-coupled simulations, because ground heat flux was not available during the study period. For this purpose, we developed a soil submodel for SMAP. Consequently, we confirmed that the updated version performed better than the old version in terms of mass balance simulations at Nagaoka too. Although mass balance-related parameters of the snowpack simulated by the updated version agreed well with observations during the accumulation period, the model substantially overestimated snow depth, as well as column-integrated snow water equivalent during the ablation period. By discussing the reasons for these discrepancies, we highlighted that further investigation on snow-melt processes for thick seasonal snowpack is necessary.
KW - Physical snowpack model
KW - physically based snow albedo model
KW - Snow impurity
KW - Snow Metamorphism and Albedo Process (SMAP)
KW - Snow-soil-coupled simulation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84906082848&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84906082848&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5331/bgr.32.65
DO - 10.5331/bgr.32.65
M3 - Article
VL - 32
SP - 65
EP - 78
JO - Bulletin of Glaciological Research
JF - Bulletin of Glaciological Research
SN - 1345-3807
IS - 1
ER -