L. Maisincho

One‐year measurements of surface heat budget on the ablation zone of Antizana Glacier 15, Ecuadorian Andes

tropical Andes of Ecuador (inner tropics). These variables were used to compute the annual cycle of the local surface energy balance (SEB). The four radiative fluxes were directly measured, and the turbulent fluxes were calculated using the bulk aerodynamic approach, calibrating the roughness length by direct sublimation measurements. The meteorological conditions are relatively homogeneous throughout the year (air temperature and air humidity). There is a slight seasonality in precipitation with a more humid period between February and June. During June-September, wind velocity shows high values and is responsible for intense turbulent fluxes that cause reduction of melting. Considering the SEB over the whole year, it is dominated by net radiation, and albedo variations govern melting. During the period under consideration the net short-wave

Evidence of groundwater flow on Antizana ice-covered volcano, Ecuador

Abstract Hydrological and glaciological data were gathered in the watershed (1.37 km2) of the Antizana Glacier 15 (0.7 km2) in the periods 1997–2002 and 1995–2005, respectively. In addition, tracer experiments were carried out to analyse the flow through permeable morainic deposits located between the glacier snout and the runoff gauging station. Over 11 years, the mean specific net balance of the glacier was negative (–627 mm w.e.), despite the occurrence of positive values in the La Niña years (1999–2000). From the glacier net mass balance between 1997 and 2002, it was found that the mean flow originating from ice melt was significantly higher than the mean discharge measured at the hydrological station. Analyses of tracer experiments and of the different components of the hydrological balance suggest groundwater flow that originates below the glacier accounts for the remaining water. This result is important for regional analyses of available water resources and for the relationship between hydro-cryospheric processes and volcanic activity.

Understanding and modeling the physical processes that govern the melting of snow cover in a tropical mountain environment in Ecuador

The ISBA/CROCUS coupled ground-snow model developed for the Alps and subsequently adapted to the outer tropical conditions of Bolivia has been applied to a full set of meteorological data recorded at 4860 m above sea level on a moraine area in Ecuador (Antizana 15 glacier, 0°28′S; 78°09′W) between 16 June 2005 and 30 June 2006 to determine the physical processes involved in the melting and disappearance of transient snow cover in nonglaciated areas of the inner tropics. Although less accurate than in Bolivia, the model is still able to simulate snow behavior over nonglaciated natural surfaces, as long as the modeled turbulent fluxes over bare ground are reduced and a suitable function is included to represent the partitioning of the surface between bare soil and snow cover. The main difference between the two tropical sites is the wind velocity, which is more than 3 times higher at the Antizana site than at the Bolivian site, leading to a nonuniform spatial distribution of snow over nonglaciated areas that is hard to describe with a simple snow partitioning function. Net solar radiation dominates the surface energy balance and is responsible for the energy stored in snow-free areas (albedo = 0.05) and transferred horizontally to adjacent snow patches by conduction within the upper soil layers and by turbulent advection. These processes can prevent the snow cover from lasting more than a few hours or a few days. Sporadically, and at any time of the year, this inner tropical site, much wetter than the outer tropics, experiences heavy snowfalls, covering all the moraine area, and thus limiting horizontal transfers and inducing a significant time lag between precipitation events and runoff.