Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Landfast sea ice (fast ice) attached to Antarctic (near-)coastal elements is a critical component of the local physical and ecological systems. Through its direct coupling with the atmosphere and ocean, fast-ice properties are also a potential indicator of processes related to a changing climate. Ho...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2775-2020 https://doaj.org/article/a6cf1c6b4a134d97902795f869ae2207 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:a6cf1c6b4a134d97902795f869ae2207 2023-05-15T13:40:50+02:00 Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica S. Arndt M. Hoppmann H. Schmithüsen A. D. Fraser M. Nicolaus 2020-08-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2775-2020 https://doaj.org/article/a6cf1c6b4a134d97902795f869ae2207 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/14/2775/2020/tc-14-2775-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-2775-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/a6cf1c6b4a134d97902795f869ae2207 The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 2775-2793 (2020) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2775-2020 2022-12-30T23:54:00Z Landfast sea ice (fast ice) attached to Antarctic (near-)coastal elements is a critical component of the local physical and ecological systems. Through its direct coupling with the atmosphere and ocean, fast-ice properties are also a potential indicator of processes related to a changing climate. However, in situ fast-ice observations in Antarctica are extremely sparse because of logistical challenges and harsh environmental conditions. Since 2010, a monitoring program observing the seasonal evolution of fast ice in Atka Bay has been conducted as part of the Antarctic Fast Ice Network (AFIN). The bay is located on the northeastern edge of Ekström Ice Shelf in the eastern Weddell Sea, close to the German wintering station Neumayer III. A number of sampling sites have been regularly revisited each year between annual ice formation and breakup to obtain a continuous record of sea-ice and sub-ice platelet-layer thickness, as well as snow depth and freeboard across the bay. Here, we present the time series of these measurements over the last 9 years. Combining them with observations from the nearby Neumayer III meteorological observatory as well as auxiliary satellite images enables us to relate the seasonal and interannual fast-ice cycle to the factors that influence their evolution. On average, the annual consolidated fast-ice thickness at the end of the growth season is about 2 m, with a loose platelet layer of 4 m thickness beneath and 0.70 m thick snow on top. Results highlight the predominately seasonal character of the fast-ice regime in Atka Bay without a significant interannual trend in any of the observed variables over the 9-year observation period. Also, no changes are evident when comparing with sporadic measurements in the 1980s and 1990s. It is shown that strong easterly winds in the area govern the year-round snow distribution and also trigger the breakup of fast ice in the bay during summer months. Due to the substantial snow accumulation on the fast ice, a characteristic feature is frequent negative ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Shelf Sea ice The Cryosphere Weddell Sea Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Atka ENVELOPE(151.789,151.789,60.835,60.835) Ekström Ice Shelf ENVELOPE(-8.000,-8.000,-71.000,-71.000) Neumayer The Antarctic Weddell Weddell Sea The Cryosphere 14 9 2775 2793 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 S. Arndt M. Hoppmann H. Schmithüsen A. D. Fraser M. Nicolaus Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Landfast sea ice (fast ice) attached to Antarctic (near-)coastal elements is a critical component of the local physical and ecological systems. Through its direct coupling with the atmosphere and ocean, fast-ice properties are also a potential indicator of processes related to a changing climate. However, in situ fast-ice observations in Antarctica are extremely sparse because of logistical challenges and harsh environmental conditions. Since 2010, a monitoring program observing the seasonal evolution of fast ice in Atka Bay has been conducted as part of the Antarctic Fast Ice Network (AFIN). The bay is located on the northeastern edge of Ekström Ice Shelf in the eastern Weddell Sea, close to the German wintering station Neumayer III. A number of sampling sites have been regularly revisited each year between annual ice formation and breakup to obtain a continuous record of sea-ice and sub-ice platelet-layer thickness, as well as snow depth and freeboard across the bay. Here, we present the time series of these measurements over the last 9 years. Combining them with observations from the nearby Neumayer III meteorological observatory as well as auxiliary satellite images enables us to relate the seasonal and interannual fast-ice cycle to the factors that influence their evolution. On average, the annual consolidated fast-ice thickness at the end of the growth season is about 2 m, with a loose platelet layer of 4 m thickness beneath and 0.70 m thick snow on top. Results highlight the predominately seasonal character of the fast-ice regime in Atka Bay without a significant interannual trend in any of the observed variables over the 9-year observation period. Also, no changes are evident when comparing with sporadic measurements in the 1980s and 1990s. It is shown that strong easterly winds in the area govern the year-round snow distribution and also trigger the breakup of fast ice in the bay during summer months. Due to the substantial snow accumulation on the fast ice, a characteristic feature is frequent negative ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
S. Arndt M. Hoppmann H. Schmithüsen A. D. Fraser M. Nicolaus |
author_facet |
S. Arndt M. Hoppmann H. Schmithüsen A. D. Fraser M. Nicolaus |
author_sort |
S. Arndt |
title |
Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica |
title_short |
Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica |
title_full |
Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica |
title_sort |
seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in atka bay, weddell sea, antarctica |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2775-2020 https://doaj.org/article/a6cf1c6b4a134d97902795f869ae2207 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(151.789,151.789,60.835,60.835) ENVELOPE(-8.000,-8.000,-71.000,-71.000) |
geographic |
Antarctic Atka Ekström Ice Shelf Neumayer The Antarctic Weddell Weddell Sea |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Atka Ekström Ice Shelf Neumayer The Antarctic Weddell Weddell Sea |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Shelf Sea ice The Cryosphere Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Shelf Sea ice The Cryosphere Weddell Sea |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 2775-2793 (2020) |
op_relation |
https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/14/2775/2020/tc-14-2775-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-2775-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/a6cf1c6b4a134d97902795f869ae2207 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2775-2020 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
2775 |
op_container_end_page |
2793 |
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1766141037228589056 |