Some features of sea ice formation in Antarctic coastal waters

Considered are the peculiarities of fast ice formation in the Antarctic coastal waters. It is noted that the fine-crystalline ice with the chaotic orientation of crystals is mainly developed in the surface layers of the ice cover as well as the ice formed due to the infiltration of the sea water and its subsequent freezing in the lower layers of the snow cover. It is demonstrated that under the conditions of coastal Antarctic, the lamination of the structure during the period of ice cover formation and its subsequent development is the result of heavy precipitation in the form of snow and the formation of the large amount of snow sludge and crystals of intrawater ice (frazil ice) on the open water. The main distinctive feature of the Antarctic sea ice is its seasonal stratification with the formation of the surface layer of recrystallized ice and underlying destructive layers including the water interlayer in the ice column. The provision of the safety of overice movement of machinery requires the development of methods of continuous remote control of the snow-ice stratum of the fast ice.     

Forecasting the intrawater ice formation and ice jams in the Neva River

Considered is a dangerous ice phenomenon developing in the Neva River during its freezing, the formation of the intrawater ice resulting in the corking of water intakes, and ice jams causing a sharp water runoff decrease downstream of them and floods. Described are the forecasting techniques of the intrawater ice formation intensity, peak ice jam water levels, and thickness of ice jams.     

Variability and conjugacy of ice conditions in the system of east arctic seas (the Laptev, East Siberian, and Chukchi Seas)

The analysis of the long-term variability and spatiotemporal conjugacy of formation processes of ice conditions in the water areas of the Laptev, East Siberian, and Chukchi seas is carried out on the basis of the available data on the ice cover conditions in the above seas. On the whole, the type of relationships between the ice processes in the system of East Arctic seas indicates the existence of certain mechanisms generating the wave processes in the climatic system of the Arctic Basin manifested in the phase opposition in the development of ice conditions on the western and eastern peripheries of the basin under consideration. The statistical analysis of series of the ice coverage of water areas under consideration demonstrated that the existence of the long-term trend of this characteristic in some seas has its spatiotemporal features: the probability of the trend existence increases from west to east (from the Laptev Sea to the Chukchi Sea) and the trends are of opposite signs.     

The role of winter flaw polynyas in the formation of ice and hydrologic conditions in the Siberian shelf seas in the summer period

This paper analyzes the influence of flaw polynyas of the seas of the Siberian shelf on the formation of ice conditions in summer based on the ten-day data on the areas of flaw polynyas for 1978–2002 obtained by satellite image processing. The results of forecasts of summer ice conditions in the seas of the Siberian shelf are presented. The correspondence between the forecasts and observed data is 94.7% on average. The interrelation of atmospheric and ice processes is shown for the case when winter atmospheric processes determine ice conditions for the following summer and fall.     

An unusual anomaly of ice conditions in the eastern seas of the Russian Arctic and in the arctic basin in summer 2007

It is demonstrated that during the whole annual cycle of ice cover evolution in 2006–2007 in the eastern seas of the Russian Arctic and in the Arctic basin, the factors whose effect led to the formation of an extremely large anomaly of ice conditions in summer 2007 were revealed. By the end of summer, the ice melted on the huge water area of 3500000 km². In September, the ice edge between the meridians of 150° E-170° W reached the parallel of 85° N. The estimates of the open water area being formed due to the ice melting and its drifting edge shift are given.     

The role of quasi-stationary flaw polynya in formation of dense shelf waters in the wintertime and their subsequent slope cascading (the Laptev Sea case study)

Shelf areas in the region of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago in the Laptev Sea are characterized by existing quasi-stationary flaw polynya that periodically opens throughout the entire wintertime under the action of strong offshore winds, which occur during the passage of cyclones. In periods of the open water surface, a near-surface turbulent layer or forced convection layer is formed in the flaw polynya; the water in the layer formed undergoes intense salinization and its dense increases due to active volumetric frazil ice production. As a result of the gravity force action, intense three-dimensional convective circulation develops in the underlying layers. It leads to a fast convective adjustment of the entire water column, especially, in the late winter, when residual stratification in the area of polynya is weakened with the total action of salinization due to the background static ΣMs _back and periodical local frazil ice formation ΣMs _f . On the whole for the entire winter period ΣMs _f is 3.4 times greater than ΣMs _back, although, during one month, probable lifetime of polynya with open water surface is several days. However, in these periods, salt fluxes with frazil ice production exceed background salt fluxes in the congelation polynya and background salt fluxes under heavy ice (limiting the polynya) 10–80 times. Spreading outside the polynia, dense shelf waters form in the area of polynya mesoscale baroclinic circulation, first generating intense shelf cascading, then intense slope cascading, which is of a local and random character. Some estimates of elements of baroclinic circulation of a convective origin in the area of polynia were obtained from the laboratory modeling results and are confirmed by field observation data.     

Physical properties and isotopic characteristics of landfast sea ice around the North Water (NOW) Polynya region

Abstract

An ice core sampling program was conducted during the North Water (NOW) Polynya Project 1998 Experiment in northern Baffin Bay during April‐May 1998. The physical properties of snow and sea ice as well as the microstructure and stable isotopic composition of first‐year landfast sea ice near the polynya were investigated. The thickness of sea ice at the sampling sites ranged between 147 and 194 cm with thinner snow cover during the period between mid‐April and late May. The ice was characterized as typical first‐year landfast sea ice, being composed of a thin granular ice layer at the top and an underlying columnar ice layer towards the bottom of the ice. The samples obtained at a site closer to the ice edge of the polynya contained a thin granular ice layer originating from frazil ice near the ice bottom. Formation of frazil ice was considered to be caused by turbulent processes induced by winds, waves and currents forced from the polynya and also mixing with water masses produced at the polynya.     

Coupled ice‐ocean variability in the Greenland Sea

Abstract

A major surface feature of the Greenland Sea during winter is the frequent eastward extension of sea ice south of 75°N and an associated embayment to the north. These features are nominally connected with the East Greenland Current, and both the promontory and the embayment are readily apparent on climatic ice charts. However, there are significant changes in these features on time‐scales as short as a few days. Using a combination of satellite microwave images (SSM/I) of ice cover, meteorological data and in situ velocity, temperature and salinity records, we relate the ice distribution and its changes to the developing structure and circulation of the upper ocean during winter 1988–1989. Our measurements illustrate the preconditioning that leads to convective overturn, which in turn brings warmer water to the surface and results in the rapid disappearance of ice. In particular, the surface was cooled to the freezing point by early December and the salinity then increased through ice formation (about 0.016 m d^‐1) and brine rejection. Once the vertical density gradient was sufficiently eroded, a period of high heat flux (>300 W m^‐2) in late January provided enough buoyancy loss to convectively mix the upper water column to at least 200 m. We estimate vertical velocities at about 3 cm s^‐1 downward during the initial sinking. The deepening of the thermocline raised surface temperatures by over 1°C resulting in nearly 1.5 × 10⁵ km² of ice‐melt within two days. Average rates of ice retreat are about 11 km d^‐1 southwestward, generally consistent with a wind‐driven flow. Comparison of hydrographic surveys from before and after the overturning indicate the fresh water was advected out of the area, possibly to the south and east of our moorings.     

冻滴微物理过程的分档数值模拟试验研究

霰和冻滴是深对流降水的主要来源。由于二者密度差异造成的不同下落末速度必然会导致云微物理过程的变化以及降水时空分布的改变。我们在以色列特拉维夫大学二维轴对称对流云全分档模式的基础上,将水成物粒子从34档增加到40档,修改了霰和雪的密度,加入冻滴分档处理的微物理过程,发展了一个包括液滴、冰晶、雪、霰和冻滴更为详细的云微物理分档模式。利用改进后的模式模拟了一次理想的强对流天气过程,分析了改进模式与原模式模拟的云微物理量场以及水成物粒子的时空分布特征,模拟结果表明:（1）由于冻滴的产生,较大的下落末速度导致在云内-3℃至-8℃较早地出现了冻滴,并造成了大量的冰晶繁生。（2）冻滴形成前期,液态水中心区域位于垂直上升速度大值中心上方,形成液态水累积区;冻滴形成期,液态水累积区位于0℃层以上,雨滴冻结生成冻滴,霰与半径大于100 μm的液滴碰并生成冻滴;冻滴增长期,在垂直上升气流的支撑下,冻滴碰并过冷水增长,导致冻滴含量增大,液态水含量减小。因此,改进模式能较好的模拟冻滴的形成过程,可以将该分档处理的微物理方案耦合到三维WRF（Weather Research and Forecasting model）模式中,更深入地研究强雷暴风切变在冰雹生成过程中的作用。     

Formation of the fast ice from the seasonal ice and its destruction

Considered is the theoretical mechanism of the formation of immovable ice cover along the coast (the fast ice) from the seasonal ice and the mechanism of its destruction. It is demonstrated that the process of formation and spread of the winter stable fast ice is determined by simultaneous impact of several factors: the morphometry of the coast and bottom, the width of the close ice, dynamic effects that shear stress forces of the flow and wind make on the ice, the duration of maintaining the condition of immobility and freezing (adhesion) of the ice, the thickness of adhered ice, and the intensity of thermal growth of ice from below. It is revealed that the permanent factor is the morphometry of coasts and the bottom while the other factors have temporal variability of various scales.     

Unusual phenomenon of freezing rain in Perm krai

Analyzed is a phenomenon of the freezing rain observed in Perm krai on December 14, 2010, when the surface temperature was ?10.9°C. The process of cooling of falling drops is numerically simulated and their temperature is computed on the basis of the data of radio sounding of the atmosphere. It is demonstrated that the large-size drops do not have time to reach the supercooling state and, when falling to the ground, have a positive temperature. The finer drops are cooled to the negative temperature. An executed estimation of the process of transformation of falling drops into ice at the crystallization of the supercooled water demonstrated that the volume fraction of the ice crust of drops at the phase transition does not exceed 3% even under optimum cooling conditions.     

A theoretical spongy spray icing model with surficial structure

In an attempt to improve the predictive capability of atmospheric icing models, we have developed a theoretical model of spongy ice formation, including the surficial morphology under a falling supercooled liquid film. A steady-state model of freshwater spongy spray icing for a stationary vertical cylinder is presented. A falling film submodel accounts for the flow of excess liquid on the icing surface. Traditional heat and mass balance equations at the outer surface of the falling film are formulated, along with heat and mass balances for the falling film and for the dendritic freezing zone. The rate of advance of the icing interface is calculated by analogy with the rate of advance of freely-growing ice crystals in bulk supercooled liquid. This allows, for the first time, the prediction of ice accretion flux and accretion sponginess, for a specific icing configuration and environmental conditions. An analysis of the model's sensitivity to spray temperature reveals that spray supercooling enhances both the rate of accretion and its sponginess. A comparison of the model's performance with experiments shows rather good agreement, and suggests that further research into the nature of the icing surface and its effect on the accreted ice is warranted.     

Impact of primary ice nucleation parameterizations on the formation and maintenance of cirrus

Different ice nucleation algorithms are implemented in a cloud microphysical scheme and numerical simulations of clouds are performed using a three-dimensional mesoscale model. The predicted ice crystal fields are found to be sensitive to the different modes of calculation of the number of deposition/ condensation freezing nuclei and contact freezing nuclei. Also a time and supercooling dependence of this sensitivity is established.The general features of the cirrus clouds observed by the research aircraft Falcon during the 1989 (International Cirrus Experiment) mission ICE212 are compared to those of the cirrus clouds generated by the model. The cloud top height, the cloud ice content and the ice number concentrations seem to be reproduced well.     

A Quasi-static nucleation model. 2. Application of the model to some mechanisms of ice generation

A model of ice heterogeneous nucleation is developed basing on assumption of embryo–size quasi–static distribution. When the system becomes meta-stable (increased supersaturation or supercooling), the largest embryos become viable. The viable embryo number and generation rate are estimated for direct sublimation of vapor onto the surface of the ice–generating nucleus and for immersion freezing. The calculation results are compared against experimental data.     

Formation and dynamics of melt waters of the sea ice cover

The model is constructed based on the concepts of the character of thermal evolution of the sea ice cover thickness. The dynamics of the ice thickness and that of the melt water forming in the ice cover are considered at the stage of melting. The space limitation of the marine environment for the ice is taken into account both for the stage of the ice cover formation and for the stage of its melting. The model is investigated analytically. The parametric identification of the model and the estimation of its adequacy are performed based on sampling distributions of the ice cover thickness in the Sea of Japan.     

针对冰盖的定向地球工程研究

针对冰盖的定向地球工程研究旨在增强冰盖稳定性和减缓冰盖物质流失,从源头上减少冰盖对海平面上升的贡献,有望为应对气候变化和保护海岸线争取几百年的时间。冰盖地球工程主要作用在冰底和冰架-海洋界面上,主要途径如下：(1)排干或冻结冰盖底部水来干燥冰床,增强冰盖底部摩擦力;(2)在海洋中建造人造岛来支撑漂浮的冰架;(3)在冰架前端建造水下隔离墙,阻止温暖的海水到达冰川底部以减缓其融化。冰盖地球工程包括数值模拟、方案设计、工程试验和政治法律等诸多方面的研究。国际上的研究团队正在开展数值模拟和方案设计方面的研究,工程试验和政治法律等方面的研究尚未起步。预计工程试验的难度阶梯很可能是从实验室试验开始,到小尺度的野外试验,接着到格陵兰冰盖的入海冰川,最后到南极冰盖的入海冰川。针对冰盖的定向地球工程研究很有可能成为21世纪全球变化领域新兴的研究方向。     

The surface structure and properties of atmospheric ice crystals

Theories to describe the structures and properties of ice surface were critically examined. Misconceptions were clarified in regard to treatment of the liquid-like layer that is expected to exist on the surface of an ice crystal below 0°C, 1 atm under equilibrium. It was shown that the pressure in the surface layer, not the surface free energy, is responsible for the formation of the liquid-like layer. Transformation of this layer into transitional liquid layer under ice-supersaturated conditions of the environment and the roles played by the latter layer in non-dendritic and dendritic growth of ice crystals were explained.     

Structural classification of dynamometamorphic transformations of first-year sea ice

This paper considers the main features of the structure of dynamometamorphic transformations of first-year ice. The structural classification of these transformations is proposed based on laboratory and natural investigations. It is a logical development of the existing structural classification of first-year ice forming in the Arctic seas without the influence of external forcing on the ice cover.     

我国冬季冻雨和冰粒天气的形成机制及预报着眼点

利用探空和地面观测资料,通过对2001年冬季至2010年冬季我国不同区域（分为4个区域：北方、江南、华南、西南）的冻雨和冰粒天气形成的物理过程进行分析发现：（1）除北方区域外,我国其他区域的冻雨主要以暖雨机制为主。北方区域的融化类冻雨比例也仅为39％,但纬度越高,出现融化类冻雨的几率高于上述比例。暖层出现是冻雨天气的重要特征,但暖层作用主要是输送水汽和维持锋面系统,以保证降水的发生和持续,低层及地面气温普遍低于0℃可能是最重要的原因。（2）我国冰粒天气的形成机制主要以融化机制为主。冰粒天气的云顶高度普遍高于冻雨天气。冰粒天气的暖层厚度和强度均小于冻雨天气,这主要是由于弱暖层只是部分融化冰晶和雪花,使其重新冻结成为可能。冰粒天气的700hPa风速值普遍小于冻雨天气,这一方面说明冰粒天气对水汽输送条件要低一些,另一方面也反映了冰粒天气暖层较弱的特点。（3）云顶高度、暖层强度和厚度、低层冷层温度露点差、700hPa风速以及地面气温是甄别冻雨和冰粒天气的特征量,但不同区域,这些特征量的有效性不一样。西南区域冻雨和冰粒天气的主要差别在地面气温,其他特征量或差别不明显,或代表性不足,只可以作为辅助判断的因子。