An Analysis of the In-Situ Resistivity of Sea Ice in Terms of its Microstructure

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Timco, G. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1979
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000014465; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000014465

Abstract The results of 66 Schlumberger geoelectric soundings on first-year sea ice are analysed to obtain average values of d.c. electrical resistivity both parallel ρ 1 and perpendicular ρ p to the long brine cell direction. This analysis yields ρ 1 = 104 Ω m, 80 Ω m, 45 Ω m, and ρ p = 298 Ω m, 230 Ω m, 129 Ω m for brine volumes ν b of 40‰, 67‰, and 82‰ respectively. The observed dependence of ρ 1 on ν b is used in conjunction with a mixing formula for the electrical resistivity of a two-phase heterogeneous system to arrive at values of “average” brine cell lengths l for relatively warm sea ice. This treatment yields l ≈ 1.7 cm for 40‰ ≤ ν b ≤ 70‰ with a rapid extension of brine cell lengths for brine volumes above c . 70‰.