Cryospheric and Polar Processes Seminar

From the Arctic to the Antarctic (and the Andes in between): a latitudinal study of light absorbing impurities in snow in 2018 by Dr. Alia Khan, Postdoctoral Research Associate at NSIDC

ABSTRACT:  Deposition of light absorbing aerosols in the cryosphere, such as black carbon (BC), reduce surface albedo and enhance melt. The radiative forcing attributable to BC deposition in the cryosphere is currently reported with 90% uncertainty bounds and it is not currently possible to detect BC in snow via satellite remote sensing.  Therefore, ground observations of BC concentrations in surface snow and ice remain the primary pathway to further refine our understanding of the impacts of BC on the cryosphere.  Rather than an in-depth science talk, this presentation will be a broad recap of science objectives and a photo slideshow of fieldwork across a large latitudinal gradient in 2018 including snow sampling and spectral albedo measurements from King George Island in Antarctica, Arctic Sea Ice (via the KOPRI-ARAON) and Svalbard in the Arctic, and volcanos and national parks in the Chilean Andes.

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