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Sea ice and snow thickness and physical properties of an ice floe in the western Weddell Sea and their changes during spring warming
- Source :
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Deep-Sea Research Part II, Topical Studies in Oceanography . Apr2008, Vol. 55 Issue 8/9, p963-974. 12p. - Publication Year :
- 2008
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Abstract
- Abstract: Helicopter-borne and ground-based electromagnetic (EM) ice thickness and ruler-stick snow thickness measurements as well as ice-core analyses of ice temperature, salinity and texture were performed over a 5-week observation period between November 27, 2004, and January 2, 2005, on an ice floe in the western Weddell Sea at approximately 67°S, 55°W. The study was part of the Ice Station Polarstern (ISPOL) expedition of German research icebreaker R.V. Polarstern, investigating changes of physical, biological, and biogeochemical properties during the spring warming as a function of atmospheric and oceanic boundary conditions. The ice floe was composed of fragments of thin and thick first-year ice and thick second-year ice, with modal total thicknesses of 1.2–1.3, 2.1, and 2.4–2.9m, respectively. This included modal snow thicknesses of 0.2–0.5m on first-year ice and 0.75m on second-year ice. During the observation period, snow thickness decreased by less than 0.2m. There was hardly any ice thinning. Warming of snow and ice between 0.1 and 1.9°C resulted in decreased ice salinity and increased brine volume. Direct current (DC) geoelectric and electromagnetic (EM) induction depth sounding were performed to study changes of electrical ice conductivity as a result of the observed ice warming. Bulk ice conductivity increased from to 37 to 97mS/m. Analysis of conductivity anisotropy showed that the horizontal ice conductivity changed from 9 to 70mS/m. These conductivity changes have only negligible effects on the thickness retrieval from EM measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09670645
- Volume :
- 55
- Issue :
- 8/9
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Deep-Sea Research Part II, Topical Studies in Oceanography
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 32167350
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2007.12.020