---
_id: '12611'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: 'We investigate the energy balance and ablation regimes of glaciers in high-elevation,
    dry environments using glaciometeorological data collected on six glaciers in
    the semiarid Andes of North-Central Chile (29–34°S, 3127–5324 m). We use a point-scale
    physically based energy balance (EB) model and an enhanced Temperature-Index (ETI)
    model that calculates melt rates only as a function of air temperature and net
    shortwave radiation. At all sites, the largest energy inputs are net shortwave
    and incoming longwave radiation, which are controlled by surface albedo and elevation,
    respectively. Turbulent fluxes cancel each other out at the lower sites, but as
    elevation increases, cold, dry and wind-exposed conditions increase the magnitude
    of negative latent heat fluxes, associated with large surface sublimation rates.
    In midsummer (January), ablation rates vary from 67.9 mm w.e. d−1 at the lowest
    site (∼100% corresponding to melt), to 2.3 mm w.e. d−1 at the highest site (>85%
    corresponding to surface sublimation). At low-elevation, low-albedo, melt-dominated
    sites, the ETI model correctly reproduces melt using a large range of possible
    parameters, but both the performance and parameter transferability decrease with
    elevation for two main reasons: (i) the air temperature threshold approach for
    melt onset does not capture the diurnal variability of melt in cold and strong
    irradiated environments and (ii) energy losses decrease the correlation between
    melt and net shortwave radiation. We summarize our results by means of an elevation
    profile of ablation components that can be used as reference in future studies
    of glacier ablation in the semiarid Andes.'
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: A.
  full_name: Ayala, A.
  last_name: Ayala
- first_name: Francesca
  full_name: Pellicciotti, Francesca
  id: b28f055a-81ea-11ed-b70c-a9fe7f7b0e70
  last_name: Pellicciotti
- first_name: S.
  full_name: MacDonell, S.
  last_name: MacDonell
- first_name: J.
  full_name: McPhee, J.
  last_name: McPhee
- first_name: P.
  full_name: Burlando, P.
  last_name: Burlando
citation:
  ama: 'Ayala A, Pellicciotti F, MacDonell S, McPhee J, Burlando P. Patterns of glacier
    ablation across North-Central Chile: Identifying the limits of empirical melt
    models under sublimation-favorable conditions. <i>Water Resources Research</i>.
    2017;53(7):5601-5625. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr020126">10.1002/2016wr020126</a>'
  apa: 'Ayala, A., Pellicciotti, F., MacDonell, S., McPhee, J., &#38; Burlando, P.
    (2017). Patterns of glacier ablation across North-Central Chile: Identifying the
    limits of empirical melt models under sublimation-favorable conditions. <i>Water
    Resources Research</i>. American Geophysical Union. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr020126">https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr020126</a>'
  chicago: 'Ayala, A., Francesca Pellicciotti, S. MacDonell, J. McPhee, and P. Burlando.
    “Patterns of Glacier Ablation across North-Central Chile: Identifying the Limits
    of Empirical Melt Models under Sublimation-Favorable Conditions.” <i>Water Resources
    Research</i>. American Geophysical Union, 2017. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr020126">https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr020126</a>.'
  ieee: 'A. Ayala, F. Pellicciotti, S. MacDonell, J. McPhee, and P. Burlando, “Patterns
    of glacier ablation across North-Central Chile: Identifying the limits of empirical
    melt models under sublimation-favorable conditions,” <i>Water Resources Research</i>,
    vol. 53, no. 7. American Geophysical Union, pp. 5601–5625, 2017.'
  ista: 'Ayala A, Pellicciotti F, MacDonell S, McPhee J, Burlando P. 2017. Patterns
    of glacier ablation across North-Central Chile: Identifying the limits of empirical
    melt models under sublimation-favorable conditions. Water Resources Research.
    53(7), 5601–5625.'
  mla: 'Ayala, A., et al. “Patterns of Glacier Ablation across North-Central Chile:
    Identifying the Limits of Empirical Melt Models under Sublimation-Favorable Conditions.”
    <i>Water Resources Research</i>, vol. 53, no. 7, American Geophysical Union, 2017,
    pp. 5601–25, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr020126">10.1002/2016wr020126</a>.'
  short: A. Ayala, F. Pellicciotti, S. MacDonell, J. McPhee, P. Burlando, Water Resources
    Research 53 (2017) 5601–5625.
date_created: 2023-02-20T08:14:10Z
date_published: 2017-07-10T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-02-24T11:41:55Z
day: '10'
doi: 10.1002/2016wr020126
extern: '1'
intvolume: '        53'
issue: '7'
keyword:
- Water Science and Technology
language:
- iso: eng
month: '07'
oa_version: None
page: 5601-5625
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: 'Patterns of glacier ablation across North-Central Chile: Identifying the limits
  of empirical melt models under sublimation-favorable conditions'
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 53
year: '2017'
...