The Formation of Pancake Ice Covers

[9814968]本项目研究的是南极海冰的形成过程：冰晶凝聚成小浮冰（“煎饼”），这些小浮冰生长并聚集成更大的浮冰，最终形成一个连续的冰盖。该项目的目的是确定煎饼冰的演变是如何由不同的环境条件决定的。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。该项目将从实地实验开始，收集现场环境形成条件的综合数据集。随后将进行实验室工作，使用塑料模拟冰和在室外波浪槽中自然生长的冰。理论和数值研究将并行进行。本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力学作用的定量信息。这些结果将对薄饼冰在卫星图像中的特征、其作为海冰和冷水生物群栖息地的利用以及其对全球综合气候模式的适当影响具有重要意义

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.***