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Evolution of supercooling under coastal Antarctic sea ice during winter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 April 2011

Gregory H. Leonard ,
Patricia J. Langhorne ,
Michael J.M. Williams ,
Ross Vennell ,
Craig R. Purdie ,
David E. Dempsey ,
Timothy G. Haskell  and
Russell D. Frew
Gregory H. Leonard*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand School of Surveying, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
Patricia J. Langhorne
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
Michael J.M. Williams
Affiliation:
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 14901, Wellington, New Zealand
Ross Vennell
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
Craig R. Purdie
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
David E. Dempsey
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand Department of Engineering Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
Timothy G. Haskell
Affiliation:
Industrial Research Limited, Gracefield Road, PO Box 31310, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Russell D. Frew
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
*
[email protected]
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Abstract

Here we describe the evolution through winter of a layer of in situ supercooled water beneath the sea ice at a site close to the McMurdo Ice Shelf. From early winter (May), the temperature of the upper water column was below its surface freezing point, implying contact with an ice shelf at depth. By late winter the supercooled layer was c. 40 m deep with a maximum supercooling of c. 25 mK located 1–2 m below the sea ice-water interface. Transitory in situ supercooling events were also observed, one lasting c. 17 hours and reaching a depth of 70 m. In spite of these very low temperatures the isotopic composition of the water was relatively heavy, suggesting little glacial melt. Further, the water's temperature-salinity signature indicates contributions to water mass properties from High Salinity Shelf Water produced in areas of high sea ice production to the north of McMurdo Sound. Our measurements imply the existence of a heat sink beneath the supercooled layer that extracts heat from the ocean to thicken and cool this layer and contributes to the thickness of the sea ice cover. This sink is linked to the circulation pattern of the McMurdo Sound.

Keywords

frazil iceice shelfMcMurdo Soundoxygen isotope ratioplatelet ice
Type
Physical Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 23 , Issue 4 , 12 July 2011 , pp. 399 - 409
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2011

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