A Volume‐Conserved Approach to Estimating Sea‐Ice Production in Antarctic Polynyas

Abstract Accurate estimation of sea‐ice production (SIP) is crucial to understanding the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW). Existing SIP estimates depend on the heat‐budget method, using atmospheric reanalysis together with satellite‐derived sea‐ice thickness data, and make an unrealistic a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Y. Lin, Q. Yang, Q. Shi, Y. Nakayama, D. Chen
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023
Subjects:
Geophysics. Cosmic physics
QC801-809
Antarctic
Maud Rise
Ross Sea
Antarc*
Sea ice
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101859
https://doaj.org/article/a19c87c437c84d3d9f396e0b7fb00d92
Description
Summary:Abstract Accurate estimation of sea‐ice production (SIP) is crucial to understanding the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW). Existing SIP estimates depend on the heat‐budget method, using atmospheric reanalysis together with satellite‐derived sea‐ice thickness data, and make an unrealistic assumption of no ocean heat flux occurring below the ice. Here, we propose a new method to estimate SIP based on the sea‐ice volume‐conservation (VC) theory. This new method can consider cases with sea‐ice melting (negative SIP). For a latent‐heat polynya—the Ross Sea Polynya—this method captures the synoptic SIP variations affected by warm‐water intrusions, including small‐scale melting and freezing patterns. Using the new VC approach for a sensible‐heat polynya, the Maud Rise Polynya, the sub‐sea‐ice oceanic heat flux was indirectly estimated, and the sea‐ice melting rate induced by warm water uplifted by Ekman pumping was estimated to be 0.15 and 1.44 cm d−1 for 2016 and 2017, respectively.

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