Aeolian sediment flux from sea ice into Southern McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

2009 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.B. Atkins ◽  
G.B. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Sediment Flux ◽  
Mcmurdo Sound ◽  
Aeolian Sediment

scholarly journals Sedimentology and numerical modelling of aeolian sediment dispersal, McMurdo Sound, southwest Ross Sea, Antarctica

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jane Margaret Chewings
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Accumulation Rate ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
Mcmurdo Sound ◽  
Sediment Distribution ◽  
Sediment Dispersal ◽  
Wind Events ◽  
Aeolian Sediment

<p>Large volumes of aeolian sand and dust are deflated from unconsolidated till deposits, and supraglacial debris surrounding McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. This material is transported offshore with windblown snow onto extensive winter-formed sea ice in the southwest Ross Sea, and is subsequently released into the water-column during summer sea ice breakup. Aeolian sediment samples were collected from a ~600 km² area of sea ice in western McMurdo Sound to determine the magnitude of deposition and identify sediment sources. A new 2-dimensional numerical aeolian sediment transport model (NaMASTE) tuned specifically for the McMurdo Sound area, was used to explore the ability of the local wind system to move sediment from source areas to sea ice and to determine the pattern and extent of aeolian sediment dispersal to the southwest Ross Sea. Debris deposits on the McMurdo Ice Shelf debris bands are the most dominant sediment source for the area. Unconsolidated deposits between Cape Bernacchi and Spike Cape, and the Taylor Valley mouth are significant secondary deposits. Mass accumulation rates varied between 0.15 g m⁻² y⁻¹ and 54.6 g m⁻² y⁻¹, equating to a background aeolian sediment accumulation rate, excluding extremely high values, of 1.14 ± 0.59 g m⁻² y⁻¹ for the McMurdo Sound coastal sea ice zone. This is 3–5 orders of magnitude more than global background dust fallout for the Ross Sea. Modal grain size is very-fine sand to coarse silt. Notably, much of this material is distributed in localised, high sand content plumes that are oriented downwind from source, with finer deposits found outside these zones. An average seafloor linear sedimentation rate of 0.2 cm ky⁻¹ is calculated for McMurdo Sound, which is minor compared to biogenic sedimentation for the region. This equates to ~0.7 Gg y⁻¹ aeolian sediment entering McMurdo Sound during sea ice melt. Application of NaMASTE successfully simulated the general aeolian sediment distribution pattern. Testing of model variables suggests that aeolian material is mainly transported during strong (>20 m s⁻¹) wind events. Modelling also suggests aeolian material from McMurdo Sound can be transported north to the Drygalski Ice Tongue, ~250 km from source, but only in very trace quantities.</p>

scholarly journals Sedimentology and numerical modelling of aeolian sediment dispersal, McMurdo Sound, southwest Ross Sea, Antarctica

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jane Margaret Chewings
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Accumulation Rate ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
Mcmurdo Sound ◽  
Sediment Distribution ◽  
Sediment Dispersal ◽  
Wind Events ◽  
Aeolian Sediment

<p>Large volumes of aeolian sand and dust are deflated from unconsolidated till deposits, and supraglacial debris surrounding McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. This material is transported offshore with windblown snow onto extensive winter-formed sea ice in the southwest Ross Sea, and is subsequently released into the water-column during summer sea ice breakup. Aeolian sediment samples were collected from a ~600 km² area of sea ice in western McMurdo Sound to determine the magnitude of deposition and identify sediment sources. A new 2-dimensional numerical aeolian sediment transport model (NaMASTE) tuned specifically for the McMurdo Sound area, was used to explore the ability of the local wind system to move sediment from source areas to sea ice and to determine the pattern and extent of aeolian sediment dispersal to the southwest Ross Sea. Debris deposits on the McMurdo Ice Shelf debris bands are the most dominant sediment source for the area. Unconsolidated deposits between Cape Bernacchi and Spike Cape, and the Taylor Valley mouth are significant secondary deposits. Mass accumulation rates varied between 0.15 g m⁻² y⁻¹ and 54.6 g m⁻² y⁻¹, equating to a background aeolian sediment accumulation rate, excluding extremely high values, of 1.14 ± 0.59 g m⁻² y⁻¹ for the McMurdo Sound coastal sea ice zone. This is 3–5 orders of magnitude more than global background dust fallout for the Ross Sea. Modal grain size is very-fine sand to coarse silt. Notably, much of this material is distributed in localised, high sand content plumes that are oriented downwind from source, with finer deposits found outside these zones. An average seafloor linear sedimentation rate of 0.2 cm ky⁻¹ is calculated for McMurdo Sound, which is minor compared to biogenic sedimentation for the region. This equates to ~0.7 Gg y⁻¹ aeolian sediment entering McMurdo Sound during sea ice melt. Application of NaMASTE successfully simulated the general aeolian sediment distribution pattern. Testing of model variables suggests that aeolian material is mainly transported during strong (>20 m s⁻¹) wind events. Modelling also suggests aeolian material from McMurdo Sound can be transported north to the Drygalski Ice Tongue, ~250 km from source, but only in very trace quantities.</p>

scholarly journals Dynamic, in situ measurement of sea-ice characteristic length

2001 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 339-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Fox ◽  
Tim G. Haskell ◽  
Hyuck Chung
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Characteristic Length ◽  
Ice Sheet ◽  
In Situ Measurement ◽  
Effective Characteristic ◽  
Mcmurdo Sound ◽  
Periodic Loading ◽  
Flexural Response ◽  
Measurement Signal

AbstractWe present a method for measuring the characteristic length of sea ice based on fitting to a recently found solution for the flexural response of a floating ice sheet subject to localized periodic loading. Unlike previous techniques, the method enables localized measurements at single frequencies of geophysical interest, and since the measurements may be synchronously demodulated, gives excellent rejection of unwanted measurement signal (e.g. from ocean swell). The loading mechanism is described and we discuss how the effective characteristic length may be determined using a range of localized measurements. The method is used to determine the characteristic length of the sea ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.

Impact of the B-15 iceberg “stranding event” on the physical and biological properties of sea ice in McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea, Antarctica

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 593-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-P. Remy ◽  
S. Becquevort ◽  
T.G. Haskell ◽  
J.-L. Tison
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Ice Cover ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Trophic Relationships ◽  
Oceanic Circulation ◽  
Mcmurdo Sound ◽  
Algae Biomass ◽  
Second Year

AbstractIce cores were sampled at four stations in McMurdo Sound (Ross Sea) between 1999 and 2003. At the beginning of year 2000, a very large iceberg (B-15) detached itself from the Ross Ice Shelf and stranded at the entrance of the Sound, preventing the usual oceanic circulation purging of the annual sea ice cover from this area. Ice textural studies showed that a second year sea ice cover was built-up at three out of the four stations: ice thickness increased to about 3 m. Repeated alternation of columnar and platelet ice appeared, and bulk salinity showed a strong decrease, principally in the upper part of the ice sheet, with associated brine volume decrease. Physical modification influenced the biology as well. By decreasing the light and space available for organisms in the sea ice cover, the stranding of B-15 has i) hampered autotrophic productivity, with chlorophyllaconcentration and algae biomass significantly lower for second year ice stations, and ii) affected trophic relationships such as the bacterial biomass/chlaconcentration correlation, or the autotrophic to heterotrophic ratio.

scholarly journals Aeolian Sediment Flux Derived from a Natural Sand Trap

2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (sp1) ◽  
pp. 338-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alida J. van der Weerd ◽  
Kathelijne M. Wijnberg
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Flux ◽  
Natural Sand ◽  
Sand Trap ◽  
Aeolian Sediment

Evolution of supercooling under coastal Antarctic sea ice during winter

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 399-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory H. Leonard ◽  
Patricia J. Langhorne ◽  
Michael J.M. Williams ◽  
Ross Vennell ◽  
Craig R. Purdie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Freezing Point ◽  
Circulation Pattern ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Ice Shelf ◽  
Mcmurdo Sound ◽  
The North ◽  
Antarctic Sea Ice ◽  
Ice Production

AbstractHere we describe the evolution through winter of a layer of in situ supercooled water beneath the sea ice at a site close to the McMurdo Ice Shelf. From early winter (May), the temperature of the upper water column was below its surface freezing point, implying contact with an ice shelf at depth. By late winter the supercooled layer was c. 40 m deep with a maximum supercooling of c. 25 mK located 1–2 m below the sea ice-water interface. Transitory in situ supercooling events were also observed, one lasting c. 17 hours and reaching a depth of 70 m. In spite of these very low temperatures the isotopic composition of the water was relatively heavy, suggesting little glacial melt. Further, the water's temperature-salinity signature indicates contributions to water mass properties from High Salinity Shelf Water produced in areas of high sea ice production to the north of McMurdo Sound. Our measurements imply the existence of a heat sink beneath the supercooled layer that extracts heat from the ocean to thicken and cool this layer and contributes to the thickness of the sea ice cover. This sink is linked to the circulation pattern of the McMurdo Sound.

A 14 - 0 ka record of trends and events of sea ice cover, primary production and freshwater discharge in the Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Wu ◽  
Ruediger Stein ◽  
Kirsten Fahl ◽  
Nicole Syring ◽  
Jens Hefter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Beaufort Sea ◽  
Ice Cover ◽  
Sediment Flux ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Proxy Records ◽  
Ice Retreat ◽  
Sea Ice Retreat ◽  
Natural Climate

&lt;p&gt;The Arctic is changing rapidly, and one of the main and most obvious features is the drastic sea-ice retreat over the past few decades. Over such time scales, observations are deficient and not long enough for deciphering the processes controlling this accelerated sea-ice retreat. Thus, high-resolution, longer-term proxy records are needed for reconstruction of natural climate variability. In this context, we applied a biomarker approach on the well-dated sediment core ARA04C/37 recovered in the southern Beaufort Sea directly off the Mackenzie River, an area that is characterized by strong seasonal variability in sea-ice cover, primary productivity and terrigenous (riverine) input. Based on our biomarker records, the Beaufort Sea region was nearly ice-free in summer during the late Deglacial to early Holocene (14 to 8 ka). During the mid-late Holocene (8 to 0 ka), a seasonal sea-ice cover developed, coinciding with a drop in both terrigenous sediment flux and primary production. Supported by multiple proxy records, two major flood events characterized by prominent maxima in sediment flux occurred near 13 and 11 ka. The former is coincident with the Younger Dryas Cooling Event probably triggered by a &amp;#160;freshwater outburst from the Lake Agassiz. The origin of the second (younger) one might represent a second Mackenzie flood event, coinciding with meltwater pulse IB/post-glacial flooding of the shelf and related increased coastal erosion. Here, our interpretation remains a little bit speculative, and further research is needed and also in progress.&lt;/p&gt;

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document