The Formation of Pancake Ice Covers

这个项目是对南极海冰的形成进行研究，通过将冰晶凝聚成小浮冰(煎饼)，这些浮冰长大并聚集成更大的浮冰，最终形成连续的冰盖。该项目的目标是确定不同的环境条件如何决定煎饼冰的这种演变。南极煎饼冰的年覆盖面积估计约为600万平方公里，超过冬季海冰面积的三分之一。该项目将从现场实验开始，收集现场环境形成条件的全面数据集。随后将进行实验室工作，既使用塑料模拟冰，也使用室外波浪水槽中自然生长的冰。理论和数值研究将并行进行。这项研究的结果将提供有关煎饼冰盖的物理结构及其在一系列环境条件下的机械作用的定量信息。这些结果将对煎饼冰在卫星图像上的特征、它作为海冰和冷水生物群栖息地的利用以及它对综合全球气候模型的适当影响产生重大影响。

9814968ShenThis project is a study of the formation of an antarctic sea ice cover through the agglutination of ice crystals into small floes ("pancakes") which grow and aggregate into larger floes, ultimately forming a continuous ice cover. The objective of the project is to determine how this evolution of pancake ice is determined by different environmental conditions. The annual areal coverage of antarctic pancake ice is estimated at approximately six million square kilometers, more than a third of the wintertime sea ice area. The project will begin with a field experiment to collect a comprehensive data setof the in situ environmental formation conditions. Laboratory work will be carried out subsequently, both with plastic simulated ice and with naturally grown ice in an outdoor wave tank. Theoretical and numerical studies will be carried out in parallel. Results from this study will provide quantitative information about the physical structure of a pancake ice cover, and its mechanical action under a range of environmental conditions. These results will bear significantly on the signature of pancake ice in satellite imagery, its utilization as a habitat by sea ice and cold water biota, and its proper effect on integrated global climate models.***