The Role of Summer Leads in Melting Sea Ice

Abstract

The long-term goal of this study is to determine the processes that control the input of heat into summer leads and the disposition of this heat into lateral melting, bottom melting and heat storage. The objectives of this study are to: Determine the albedo of lead surfaces as a function of solar altitude, surface roughness (wind speed and fetch), and clouds (transmittance). Determine optical properties of leads and their effect on the absorption and penetration of solar radiation. Determine salt and temperature stratification within leads and their dependence on melt rate, airsea heat exchanges and turbulent mixing forced by the wind and ice-ocean velocity difference. Balance the heat and freshwater budgets of leads and assess the effects of atmospheric, ice, and oceanic forcing on the components of the balances.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 2000
Accession Number
ADA609736

Entities

People

  • Clayton A. Paulson
  • W. Scott Pegau

Organizations

  • Oregon State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arctic Ocean
  • Atmospheric Sciences
  • Beaufort Sea
  • Conductivity
  • Heat Energy
  • Ice
  • Layers
  • Oceans
  • Optical Properties
  • Salinity
  • Sea Ice
  • Solar Radiation
  • Surface Roughness
  • Surface Temperature
  • Turbulent Mixing
  • Universities
  • Water

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Polar and Arctic Studies
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.