Surface mass balance and its climate significance from the coast to Dome A, East Antarctica

Based on stake measurements conducted along the Chinese Antarctic traverse since Jan. 1999, we investigated the characteristics of surface mass balance (SMB) and related climate consequences from Zhongshan Station to Dome A, East Antarctica. Spatial analysis suggests that post-depositional processes have a great impact on surface morphology; thus, the representativeness of a single measurement should be discussed in conjunction with local climate features. The comparison among snow accumulation, ice sheet thickness, surface elevation, and ice velocity indicates that the bedrock topography has an indirect connection with the SMB patterns through controlling the surface topography and local climate. The observation reveals that the Lambert Glacier Basin has been experiencing increasing mass input (4.5%), whereas the inland area has experienced a 6% loss, since 2005. An overall estimation of the SMB along the route is 71.3±44.3 kg m⁻² a⁻¹, but the annual and regional variation is considerable. Tendency analysis shows that there are four sections with different SMB patterns as a result of three moisture sources and surface climatic discrepancy in the Antarctic inland. This study is the first to identify four SMB patterns from the coast to the Dome area and should provide a valuable contribution to modeling and remote sensing on a continental scale.