Annual Salt and Energy Budget Beneath an Antarctic Fast Ice Cover

Abstract

Water temperature and salinity profiles were measured to a depth of 300 m below a fast ice cover near Mawson, Antarctica over a full annual cycle. Together with measurements of ice thickness and salinity, they are used to determine the heat and salt balance of the ice/ocean system at this site. The energy balance of the ocean is related to measured energy fluxes at the surface.Throughout the winter there is a net advection of salty water to the site which enhances the salinity increase in the water due to brine ejected from ice. After the ice reaches its maximum thickness there is considerable advection of warmer water which both raises the water temperature at the site and provides heat for the large oceanic heat flux previously reported for Mawson. The rate of this heat advection increases as the ice extent around Antarctica decreases. The ice partially meltsin situand breaks out in mid January. This effective removal of fresh water is balanced by a large influx of melt water from the continental ice sheet. The fresh water, initially near the surface, becomes well mixed to depths of greater than 200 m by strong storms in the ice free period from mid January to early April.