We evaluate how precipitation forcing data used in glacier mass balance models characterize snow accumulation events on synoptic timescales for two glaciers in north-western Svalbard (Kongsvegen and Holtedahlfonna). Using sonic ranger (snow depth) and wind speed data from automatic weather stations located on the glaciers, we distinguish accumulation events occurring under either calm or windy conditions. We show clear differences in the timing and magnitude of snow accumulation events between the two neighbouring glaciers, illustrating the spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation in this region. The accumulation measurements show that at equivalent elevations, Kongsvegen receives more snowfall than neighbouring Holtedahlfonna, and that Kongsvegen is more affected by wind-driven snow redistribution than Holtedahlfonna. This is consistent with the synoptically-driven precipitation patterns in the region. Accumulation events are then compared to precipitation data from the nearest meteorological station in Ny-Alesund (ca. 30 km distant) and to a downscaled snowfall data product based on the ERA-Interim reanalysis (nearest gridpoint ca. 300 m distant). Evaluation of the synchrony of observed events at the glacier sites and the precipitation products shows that the ERA-Interim precipitation data reproduce more snowfall events than the Ny-Alesund station data, suggesting that the precipitation fields from distributed reanalysis data provide a more reasonable representation of accumulation on the study glaciers, even over short timescales.

中文翻译：

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两个高北极冰川积雪事件与模型衍生和观测降水的比较

我们评估了冰川物质平衡模型中使用的降水强迫数据如何表征斯瓦尔巴群岛西北部（Kongsvegen 和 Holtedahlfonna）两个冰川天气时间尺度上的积雪事件。使用来自位于冰川上的自动气象站的声波护林员（雪深）和风速数据，我们区分了在平静或有风条件下发生的积聚事件。我们显示了两个相邻冰川之间积雪事件的时间和幅度的明显差异，说明了该地区积雪的空间异质性。累积测量表明，在同等海拔下，Kongsvegen 比邻近的 Holtedahlfonna 接收更多的降雪，并且 Kongsvegen 比 Holtedahlfonna 更受风驱动雪重新分布的影响。这与该地区天气驱动的降水模式一致。然后将累积事件与最近的 Ny-Alesund 气象站的降水数据（距离约 30 公里）和基于 ERA-Interim 再分析（最近的网格点距离约 300 m）的降雪数据产品进行比较。对冰川站点观测事件与降水产品同步性的评估表明，ERA-Interim 降水数据比 Ny-Alesund 站数据再现了更多的降雪事件，表明分布式再分析数据的降水场提供了更合理的表示研究冰川上的积累，即使是在很短的时间范围内。然后将累积事件与最近的 Ny-Alesund 气象站的降水数据（距离约 30 公里）和基于 ERA-Interim 再分析（最近的网格点距离约 300 m）的降雪数据产品进行比较。对冰川站点观测事件与降水产品同步性的评估表明，ERA-Interim 降水数据比 Ny-Alesund 站数据再现了更多的降雪事件，表明分布式再分析数据的降水场提供了更合理的表示研究冰川上的积累，即使是在很短的时间范围内。然后将累积事件与最近的 Ny-Alesund 气象站的降水数据（距离约 30 公里）和基于 ERA-Interim 再分析（最近的网格点距离约 300 m）的降雪数据产品进行比较。对冰川站点观测事件与降水产品同步性的评估表明，ERA-Interim 降水数据比 Ny-Alesund 站数据再现了更多的降雪事件，表明分布式再分析数据的降水场提供了更合理的表示研究冰川上的积累，即使是在很短的时间范围内。