Validation of ERA5-Land-based reconstructed air temperature and near-surface ground temperature on James Ross Island
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Polar Geography |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://doi.org/10.1080/1088937X.2024.2434744 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1088937X.2024.2434744 |
| Keywords | Antarctica; climate change; global reanalyses; periglacial environment; climate modelling |
| Description | This study evaluates the accuracy of ERA5-Land reanalysis products by comparing them with continuous data from James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula. ERA5-Land shows lower variability in air and ground temperatures than measurements from three automatic weather stations (AWSs) on James Ross Island: Johann Gregor Mendel (AWS-JGM), Abernethy Flats (AWS-AF), and Johnson Mesa (AWS-JM). Differences in mean annual air temperature (MAAT) and mean annual ground temperature at 5 cm depth (MAGT5) are noted between ERA5-Land and AWSs for the periods 2007/08-2020/21 and 2011/12-2020/21. Strong correlations (0.88–0.92) exist between ERA5-Land and AWSs, with the highest coefficients and lowest RMSE values for AWS-JM (2.7 °C for AT and 4.9 °C for GT5). Validation statistics reveal seasonal variations in ERA5-Land temperature bias with larger discrepancies in summer and low differences in winter. ERA5-Land’s snow depth estimation indicates unrealistic permanent snow cover between 3–24 meters, affecting ground temperature bias and underestimation. Despite its benefits, ERA5-Land’s inaccuracies in ground temperature data limit its direct use for permafrost research. Corrections were applied to enhance the use of ERA5-Land data for detailed permafrost studies in the JRI area. |
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