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

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: G. W. Timco
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1979
• Subjects: NEANIAS Atmospheric Research Community; Earth-Surface Processes; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://www.openaccessrepository.it/record/90625; https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000014465

AbstractThe results of 66 Schlumberger geoelectric soundings on first-year sea ice are analysed to obtain average values of d.c. electrical resistivity both parallelρ1 and perpendicularρpto the long brine cell direction. This analysis yieldsρ1 = 104 Ω m, 80 Ω m, 45 Ω m, andρp= 298 Ω m, 230 Ω m, 129 Ω m for brine volumesνbof 40‰, 67‰, and 82‰ respectively. The observed dependence ofρ1 onνbis 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 lengthslfor relatively warm sea ice. This treatment yieldsl≈ 1.7 cm for 40‰≤νb≤70‰ with a rapid extension of brine cell lengths for brine volumes abovec. 70‰.