Accurately capturing the glacial surface mass balance (SMB) and surface energy budget (SEB) is essential to reconstruct the past and reliably project the future mass change of glaciers, ice sheets and ice shelves, and their contribution to global sea level and freshwater supply. Changes in accumulation and surface melt affect glacier mass balance through fluctuations in equilibrium line altitude, snow/ice albedo and extent, surface elevation, rain and meltwater retention in firn. However, adequately accounting for all glacial surface processes and for their associated feedbacks over various spatiotemporal scales remains challenging. Combining observations and simulations across scales is thus crucial to better understand the SMB of glaciers, ice sheets and ice shelves.
We invite observational and model-based presentations on past reconstructions and future projections of the SMB and SEB over glaciers, ice sheets and ice shelves. We promote research that identifies drivers and further explores changes in rain/snow accumulation and redistribution, meltwater production, retention and refreezing in firn, and subsequent surface runoff, sublimation and blowing snow erosion. We welcome studies using global/regional climate models, SMB-SEB and positive degree day (PDD) models, or machine learning techniques that enhance our understanding of glacial surface processes from local to regional scales. Works combining SMB models with in-situ or remote sensing observations to quantify glacial mass change are also encouraged.