Glacier melt: a review of processes and their modelling

Modelling ice and snow melt is of large practical and scientific interest, including issues such as water resource management, avalanche forecasting, glacier dynamics, hydrology and hydrochemistry, as well as the response of glaciers to climate change. During the last few decades, a large variety of melt models have been developed, ranging from simple temperature-index to sophisticated energy-balance models.

There is a recent trend towards modelling with both high temporal and spatial resolution, the latter accomplished by fully distributed models. This review discusses the relevant processes at the surface-atmosphere interface, and their representation in melt models. Despite considerable advances in distributed melt modelling there is still a need to refine and develop models with high spatial and temporal resolution based on moderate input data requirements.

While modelling of incoming radiation in mountain terrain is relatively accurate, modelling of turbulent fluxes and spatial and temporal variability in albedo constitute major uncertainties in current energy-balance melt models, and thus need further research.