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The East Antarctic sea ice zone: Ice characteristics and drift

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Abstract

Results from studies of the surface energy balance and the ocean structure in the presence of fast ice near Mawson on the Antarctic coast are used to illustrate the important ways in which sea ice interacts with the ocean and atmosphere. Away from the coast, ship and drifting buoy observations are used to characterize the E Antarctic sea ice zone in a study area between 60° E and 120° E and S of 61° S. Divergent drift over most of the region plays a dominant role in expanding the ice extent in autumn and in determining the characteristics of the pack. Much of the sea ice in the region is young thin ice which forms in leads and polynyas, and in late spring in the study area, the ice thickness averaged over the total ocean surface within the ice edge less than 0.4 m. Even in winter the majority of ice floes off E Antarctica are probably less than 1 m thick.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, 7050, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia

    Allison Ian

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  1. Allison Ian
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Allison, I. The East Antarctic sea ice zone: Ice characteristics and drift. GeoJournal 18, 103–115 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00722394

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