Surface Energy Balance and Temperature Inversion at Dome Argus, the Summit of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet

Abstract

Due to the harsh environment of the inland plateau in East Antarctica and the associated scarcity of in situ meteorological measurements, its climatological features and surface energy balance (SEB) remain poorly understood. Using hourly meteorological data measured at Dome Argus (Dome A) and nearby Kunlun stations during a 3-year period (2018–2020), we present the characteristics of the SEB components along with the frequency and intensity of the near-surface temperature inversion. Due to the strong radiative imbalance at the surface, a quasi-continuous temperature inversion persisted throughout the observational period (frequency 96%), with an average temperature gradient exceeding 1°C/m between the surface and 4 m height. The combination of relatively strong near-surface winds and significant vertical temperature gradients resulted in monthly average surface turbulent sensible heat gains of up to $30W·m^{-2}$ in June, largely compensating for the concurrent net surface radiation loss. In contrast, the monthly average surface turbulent latent heat gains reached only $0.1W·m^{-2}$ due to the minimal atmospheric-surface moisture gradients caused by the extremely low near-surface air temperatures. Persistent surface-based temperature inversions typically emerge under conditions of strong radiative cooling, characterized by reduced variability in surface temperature $\left(T_s\right)$ and subsurface heat fluxes, enhanced turbulent mixing and the sustained moisture. This represents the first comprehensive attempt to quantify near-surface atmospheric heat exchange processes in the Dome A area, shedding light on interactions between the snow surface and near-surface atmosphere at the East Antarctic inland plateau.