A simulation of the antarctic ice sheet mass balance

The polar regional climate model MAR (Modèle Atmosphérique Régional) has been used to simulate the antarctic ice sheet surface mass balance during the years 1980-1982. MAR is coupled with a multi-layered snow model including the budget of energy and mass of snow and ice. The following processes are represented: the conduction of heat, the melting, percolation and refreezing of water, and the snow metamorphism, from wich the snow aldedo is parameterized. A blowing snow model is used in order to couple the snow model with MAR. In particular blown snow particles are viewed as snow flakes by the cloud microphysical scheme of MAR and the buoyancy calculations include the impact of air loading by blown snow. The atmospheric model is forced laterally by the european reanalyses (ERA15). The domain include Wilkes Land, Adélie Land, Victoria Land and the Ross Ice shelf. The horizontal grid size is 40 km. The results are compared with independant observations. In particular the simulated mass balance is in good agreement with reconstructions made at ice core drilling site.