| 27 May 2026
Accurate assessment of surface mass balance based on stake observations and model correction at Dome A, East Antarctica
Abstract. Accurate quantification of surface mass balance (SMB) in the Antarctic interior underpins ice sheet mass budget assessments and ice core interpretation. Stake measurements, however, systematically underestimate SMB because firn densification causes surface lowering unrelated to mass change. Here, we simulate firn compaction with a firn densification model and correct stake records from 2008-2024 at Dome Argus (Dome A), East Antarctica, thereby refining SMB estimates and their spatial variability. The mean annual corrected SMB is 24.14 kg m-2 yr-1, 8.8 % higher than the uncorrected value (22.19 kg m-2 yr-1). Over the stake array, the RACMO2.4p1 regional model yields lower and more spatially uniform SMB (17.50 kg m-2 yr-1). Using automatic weather station observations, we estimate annual sublimation of 2.34 mm w.e yr-1. and hoar deposition of 0.87 mm w.e. yr-1, indicating that the net vapor flux is equivalent to 5.7 % of the total mass input. This framework reduces densification induced bias in stake-derived SMB, provides an observational benchmark for evaluating regional climate models, and supports accurate dating of ice core climate records from Dome A.
Competing interests: At least one of the (co-)authors is a member of the editorial board of The Cryosphere.
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