Retrieving Snow Surface Temperature Based on MODIS Data

On the basis of simplification of the Planck function in a low temperature range, this paper revises the practical split-window algorithm and presents a method for retrieving snow surface temperature （Ts） based on MODIS data in the middle-latitude region. The application of this method in Qinghai Lake region reveals that it is feasible for the retrieval of Ts. Results of correlation analysis indicate that there was strong negative relationship between Ts and altitude. By analyzing three typical areas in which land cover was relatively homogenous, this paper discusses the relationship between Ts and normalized difference snow index （NDSI） and then presents a new concept named ＂NDSI-Ts space＂.

An Improved Method for Modeling Spatial Distribution of δD in Surface Snow over Antarctic Ice Sheet

Using the recent compilation of the isotopic composition data of surface snow of Antarctic ice sheet, we proposed an improved interpolation method of δD, which utilizes geographical factors （i.e., latitude and altitude） as the primary predictors and incorporates inverse distance weighting （IDW） technique. The method was applied to a high-resolution digital elevation model （DEM） to produce a grid map of multi-year mean δD values with lkm spatial resolution for Antarctica. The mean absolute deviation between observed and estimated data in the map is about 5.4‰, and the standard deviation is 9‰. The resulting δD pattern resembles well known characteristics such as the depletion of the heavy isotopes with increasing latitude and distance from coast line, but also reveals the complex topographic effects.

Spatial variations of Pb,As,and Cu in surface snow along the transect from the Zhongshan Station to Dome A,East Antarctica

The spatial distributions of lead, arsenic, and copper （Pb, As, and Cu, respectively） in surface snow along the transect from the Zhongshan Station to Dome A, East Antarctica, are presented. The mean concentrations of Pb, As, and Cu are 1.04±1.56 pg/g, 0.39±0.08 pg/g, and 11.2±14.4 pg/g, respectively. It is estimated that anthropogenic contributions are dominant for Pb, As, and Cu. Spatially, Pb concentrations show an exponentially decreasing trend from the coast inland, while a moderate decreasing trend is observed for Cu concentrations in the coastal area （below 2,000 m above sea level （a.s.1.））. In the intermediate area （2,000-3,000 m a.s.1.）, the concentrations and enrichment factors of all these elements show high variability due to the complicated characteristics of climate and environment. On the inland plateau （above 3,000 m a.s.1.）, the high concentrations of As and Pb are induced by high deposition efficiency, the existence of polar stratospheric precipitation, and the different fraction deposition to East Antarctica. The extremely high concentrations with maximum values of 9.59 pg/g and 69.9 pg/g for Pb and Cu, respectively, are suggested to result mainly from local human activities at the station. Our results suggest that source, transport pathway, and deposition pattern, rather than distance from the coast or altitude, lead to the spatial distributions of Pb, As, and Cu; and it is further confirmed by spatial variations of the three metals deposited over the whole continent of Antarctica.

Methods for extraction of microorganism DNA from glacier surface snow

In order to thoroughly investigate the diversity of glacier microorganisms, four DNA extraction methods with differem lysis pat- terns were tested and two screened methods （the Bosshard-Bano method and the Zhou method） were optimized for the most ef- fective form of the filter membrane （cut vs. uncut）, the DNA extraction method, and the precipitation method. The two optimized methods were then compared with the commercial Mo-Bio DNA extraction kit, and the results showed that the kit was generally suitable for extraction of microorganism DNA fi＇om glacier surface snow. Procedurally, it was found that a modified Boss- hard-Bano method （i.e., cutting the filter membrane into pieces, using a specific lysis pattern [lysozyme （5 mg/mL）-protease K （ 1 mg/mL）-CTAB （ 1%）-SDS （ 1%）], performing the extraction only once by chloroform-isoamyl alcohol （24： 1）, and conducting DNA precipitation by pure ethanol） was also an effective and less expensive method for extraction of microorganism DNA from glacier surface snow.

Micro-particle in surface snow at Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica

During the Austral summer of 1996/1997, the First Chinese Antarctic Inland Expedition reached the inland area about 330 km along the direction around 76°E from Zhongshan Station, and collected 84 surface snow samples at an interval of 4 km . Micro particle analysis of the samples indicates that the micro particle concentration apparently decreases with the increasing of altitude, and the amplitudes of micro particle concentration is much larger in the lower altitude than in the higher altitude. Further analysis of grain size distributions of micro particle, percentage of micro particles from different sources and variations with altitude suggest that micro particles in this area are from a considerably dominant source. Although this area is controlled by polar easterly wind and katabatic wind, transportation and deposition of the micro particles are mainly influenced by marine transportation in coastal area.

Velocity of Surface Ice Flow on Amery Ice Shelf Determined with PPP

The main activities in the joint expedition between CHINARE and ANARE on Amery ice shelf are introduced. Five day continuous GPS observation data collected on the site which locates at the frontal part of Amery ice shelf was processed with precise point positioning (PPP) technology based on precise products from IGS. Velocity of the surface ice flow on Amery can be derived from the PPP solution. Preliminary result shows that the surface ice flow velocity of the site is 2.25 meters per day, the motion direction is northeastward. Semidiurnal oceanic tide and diurnal oceanic tide signal of that site can be recovered from the height variation series of PPP solution. These above solutions can be used to the consequent mass balance calculation.

Inter-comparisons of thermodynamic sea-ice modeling results using various parameterizations of radiative flux

Radiative fluxes are of primary importance in the energy and mass balance of the sea-ice cover. Various parameterizations of the radiative fluxes are studied in a thermodynamic sea-ice model. Model outputs of the surface radiative and heat fluxes and mass balance are compared with observations. The contribution of short-wave radiation is limited to a long part of winter. Therefore, simple schemes are often sufficient. Errors in estimations of the short-wave radiation are due mainly to cloud effects and occasionally to multi-reflection between surface and ice crystals in the air. The long-wave radiation plays an important role in the ice surface heat and mass balance during most part of a winter. The effect of clouds on the accuracy of the simple radiative schemes is critical, which needs further attention. In general, the accuracy of an ice model depends on that of the radiative fluxes.

The origin mechanisms of nitrate (NO_3^-) ions in Antarctic surface snow

There was a complete set of cross-polar distributive data of nitrate （NO3-） content inthe surface snow of the Antarctic ice sheet along the route of the 1990 International Trans-Antarctica Expedition. We have shown the profiles of nitrate concentration and flux alongthe route as the plots associated with geomagnetic latitude for further analysis on the

Seasonal Characteristics of Surface Radiation Fluxes on the East Rongbuk Glacier in the Mt.Everest Region

Ground-based measurements are essential for understanding alpine glacier dynamics,especially in remote regions where in-situ measurements are extremely limited.Prom 1 May to 22 July 2005（the spring-summer period）,and from 2 October 2007 to 20 January 2008（the autumn-winter period）,surface radiation as well as meteorological variables were measured over the accumulation zone on the East Rongbuk Glacier of Mt. Qomolangma/Everest at an elevation of 6560 m a.s.l.by using an automatic weather station（AWS）.The results show that surface meteorological and radiative characteristics were controlled by two major synoptic circulation regimes：the southwesterly Indian monsoon regime in summer and the westerlies in winter.At the AWS site on the East Rongbuk Glacier,north or northwest winds prevailed with high wind speed（up to 35 m s^（-1） in January） in winter while south or southeast winds predominated after the onset of the southwesterly Indian monsoon with relatively low wind speed in summer.Intensity of incoming shortwave radiation was extremely high due to the high elevation,multiple reflections between the snow/ice surface and clouds,and the high reflective surrounding surface.These factors also caused the observed 10-min mean solar radiation fluxes around local noon to be frequently higher than the solar constant from May to July 2005.The mean surface albedo ranged from 0.72 during the spring-summer period to 0.69 during the autumn-winter period. The atmospheric incoming longwave radiation was greatly affected by the cloud condition and atmospheric moisture content.The overall impact of clouds on the net all-wave radiation balance was negative in the Mt. Qomolangma region.The daily mean net all-wave radiation was positive during the entire spring-summer period and mostly positive during the autumn-winter period except for a few overcast days.On monthly basis,the net all-wave radiation was always positive.