The Cryosphere, 9, 2295–2310, 2015 www.the-cryosphere.net/9/2295/2015/ doi:10.5194/tc-9-2295-2015 © Author(s) 2015. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Debris-covered glacier energy balance model for Imja–Lhotse Shar Glacier in the Everest region of Nepal D. R. Rounce1, D. J. Quincey2, and D. C. McKinney1 1Center for Research in Water Resources, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA 2School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK Correspondence to: D. R. Rounce (
[email protected]) Received: 2 June 2015 – Published in The Cryosphere Discuss.: 30 June 2015 Revised: 28 October 2015 – Accepted: 12 November 2015 – Published: 7 December 2015 Abstract. Debris thickness plays an important role in reg- used to estimate rough ablation rates when no other data are ulating ablation rates on debris-covered glaciers as well as available. controlling the likely size and location of supraglacial lakes. Despite its importance, lack of knowledge about debris prop- erties and associated energy fluxes prevents the robust inclu- sion of the effects of a debris layer into most glacier sur- 1 Introduction face energy balance models. This study combines fieldwork with a debris-covered glacier energy balance model to esti- Debris-covered glaciers are commonly found in the Everest mate debris temperatures and ablation rates on Imja–Lhotse region of Nepal and have important implications with regard Shar Glacier located in the Everest region of Nepal. The de- to glacier melt and the development of glacial lakes. It is bris properties that significantly influence the energy bal- well understood that a thick layer of debris (i.e., > several ance model are the thermal conductivity, albedo, and sur- centimeters) insulates the underlying ice, while a thin layer face roughness.