Objective To improve the understanding and the representation in models ofthe small scale physical processes playing a role in the surfaceenergy fluxes and mass balance over the polar ice caps (Greenlandand Antarctica).The mass balance of the polar ice caps depends strongly on theinteraction with the atmopshere. Due to the large extent of theice-sheets sloped surface, katabatic winds develop and influencestrongly the snow and ice energy balance. The role of thesewinds is very important for the ice- sheets mass balance, mainlyalong the ice margin and over the ablation zone, where thetemperature may increase above 0º C in summer. Thesephenomena are of typical mesoscale size and are badly treated in thecurrent General Circulation Models (GCM's).In the past, this fact has been taken into account in a rathersimple way mainly because of a lack of experimental data from thepolar regions. But recently, several experiments have beenconducted in the polar regions and measurements of atmosphericsurface fluxes are available. It is now possible to test andvalidate mesoscale meteorological models on these data, and thenuse the model results to infer the behaviour of theice-atmosphere interaction in various conditions.The project will use the data sets obtained from the GreenlandIce Margin Experiments (GIMEX-90 and 91) for the Artic zone, andthose from Terra Nova Bay and IAGO for the Antarctic. Thesensible and latent fluxes are extracted from the observationsusing adequate profile methods and the data are carefullyexamined to study the albedo behaviour of the ice sheet, thisbeing an important factor of the surface energy balanceTwo meteorological mesoscale models are used to perform thesimulations. The model physics is improved to come reasonnablyclose to the observations. The physics taken into account in themodels must include such processes as: temperature stratificationin the katabatic flow, transport of snow, radiative cooling overthe icesheet and iceshelf, effect of the snow-free tundra, albedovariation in function of height and summer melting in theablation region. The simulations schedule include also asensitivity study to these effects, and particularly the effectof typical high latitude clouds on the surface fluxes and thus onthe melting rates.Finally, a modelling experiment will be conducted to infer themodification to the current fluxes and ablation rates expectedwhile forcing the models with external conditions foreseen forthe mid next century, due to enhanced greenhouse effect aspredicted by the current GCM's. Programme(s) FP3-ENV 1C - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of the environment, 1990-1994 Topic(s) 0102 - Anthropogenic climate change Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN EU contribution No data Address 2,Chemin du Cyclotron 2 1348 LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE Belgium See on map Total cost No data Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITE PAUL SABATIER DE TOULOUSE III France EU contribution No data Address Avenue Edouard Belin 14 31400 TOULOUSE See on map Total cost No data UTRECHT UNIVERSITY Netherlands EU contribution No data Address 5,Princetonplein 5 3584 CC UTRECHT See on map Total cost No data