The influence of the hydrologic cycle on the extent of sea ice with climatic implications

• Main Authors: Stringer, William J., Dean, Kenneson G., Searcy, Craig
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1993
• Subjects: OCEANOGRAPHY; Mackenzie River; Mackenzie river; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2060/19930013511

Multi-temporal satellite images, field observations, and field measurements were used to investigate the mechanisms by which sea ice melts offshore from the Mackenzie River delta. Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellite data recorded in 1986 were analyzed. The satellite data were geometrically corrected and radiometrically calibrated so that albedo and temperature values could be extracted. The investigation revealed that sea ice melted approximately 2 weeks earlier offshore from the Mackenzie River delta than along coasts where river discharge is minimal or non-existent. There is significant intra-delta variability in the timing and patterns of ice melt. An estimation of energy flux indicates that 30 percent more of the visible wavelength energy and 25 percent more of the near-infrared wavelength energy is absorbed by water offshore of the delta compared to coastal areas with minimal river discharge. The analysis also revealed that the removal of sea ice involves the following: over-ice-flooding along the coast offshore from river delta channels; under-ice flow of 'warm' river water; melting and calving of the fast ice; and, the formation of a bight in the pack ice edge. Two stages in the melting of sea ice were identified: (1) an early stage where heat is supplied to overflows largely by solar radiation, and (2) a later stage where heat is supplied by river discharge in addition to solar radiation. A simple thermodynamic model of the thaw process in the fast ice zone was developed and parameterized based on events recorded by the satellite images. The model treats river discharge as the source of sensible heat at the base of the ice cover. The results of a series of sensitivity tests to assess the influence of river discharge on the near shore ice are presented.