@article{fdi:010080266,
  title = {{U}nderstanding and modeling the physical processes that govern the melting of snow cover in a tropical mountain environment in {E}cuador},
  author = {{W}agnon, {P}atrick and {L}afaysse, {M}. and {L}ejeune, {Y}. and {M}aisincho, {L}. and {R}ojas, {M}. and {C}hazarin, {J}ean-{P}hilippe},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he {ISBA}/{CROCUS} coupled ground-snow model developed for the {A}lps and subsequently adapted to the outer tropical conditions of {B}olivia has been applied to a full set of meteorological data recorded at 4860 m above sea level on a moraine area in {E}cuador ({A}ntizana 15 glacier, 0 degrees 28'{S}; 78 degrees 09'{W}) between 16 {J}une 2005 and 30 {J}une 2006 to determine the physical processes involved in the melting and disappearance of transient snow cover in nonglaciated areas of the inner tropics. {A}lthough less accurate than in {B}olivia, the model is still able to simulate snow behavior over nonglaciated natural surfaces, as long as the modeled turbulent fluxes over bare ground are reduced and a suitable function is included to represent the partitioning of the surface between bare soil and snow cover. {T}he main difference between the two tropical sites is the wind velocity, which is more than 3 times higher at the {A}ntizana site than at the {B}olivian site, leading to a nonuniform spatial distribution of snow over nonglaciated areas that is hard to describe with a simple snow partitioning function. {N}et solar radiation dominates the surface energy balance and is responsible for the energy stored in snow-free areas (albedo = 0.05) and transferred horizontally to adjacent snow patches by conduction within the upper soil layers and by turbulent advection. {T}hese processes can prevent the snow cover from lasting more than a few hours or a few days. {S}poradically, and at any time of the year, this inner tropical site, much wetter than the outer tropics, experiences heavy snowfalls, covering all the moraine area, and thus limiting horizontal transfers and inducing a significant time lag between precipitation events and runoff.},
  keywords = {{EQUATEUR} ; {ZONE} {TROPICALE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {G}eophysical {R}esearch - {A}tmospheres},
  volume = {114},
  numero = {},
  pages = {{D}19113},
  ISSN = {0148-0227},
  year = {2009},
  DOI = {10.1029/2009jd012292},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010080266},
}