Validation of ICON-LES from HEFEXII field campaign observations

In August 2023, the HEFEX II (HinterEisFerner-EXperiment) campaign was conducted in the Austrian Alps to investigate multi-scale exchanges between the atmosphere and glaciers. The campaign combined data from numerous automatic weather stations (AWS) and Eddy-Covariance (EC) stations operating over four weeks and an intensive three-day observation utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and LIDAR technology. These measurements provided detailed insights into various atmospheric parameters, including temperature, humidity, wind information, and heat fluxes, across spatial and temporal scales.

The collected data serves as a valuable resource for validating high-resolution ICON-LES (Large Eddy Simulation) models with a horizontal resolution of 51 meters. This validation is performed both qualitatively and quantitatively, focusing on capturing the spatio-temporal variability of the measured atmospheric parameters. Through this process, the campaign aims to refine model parameterization to enhance simulation accuracy, particularly for the complex and dynamic processes governing atmosphere-glacier interactions.

Preliminary results confirm that ICON-LES simulations exhibit strong agreement with observed data. These findings support the potential of ICON-LES as a reliable tool for modeling atmosphere-glacier interactions, paving the way for climate impact studies in alpine regions. This study highlights the synergy between advanced observational techniques and high-resolution modeling, advancing our understanding of atmosphere-glacier dynamics and their broader climatic implications.

The HEFEX campaign demonstrated the effective application of UAVs in atmospheric research. These platforms demonstrated their capability to collect high-resolution, flexible, and precise data in challenging high-elevation environments. By integrating UAV observations with traditional measurement methods, the campaign underscores their growing importance in complementing and extending stationary observations.

Overall, the HEFEX campaign contributes to advancing understanding of atmosphere-glacier processes, improving numerical weather prediction models, and showcasing innovative observational techniques in atmospheric science.