Work

The Percolation Phase Transition in Sea Ice

Year: 1998

Type: article

Abstract: Sea ice exhibits a marked transition in its fluid transport properties at a critical brine volume fraction pc of about 5 percent, or temperature Tc of about -5 degreesC for salinity of 5 parts per thousand. For temperatures warmer than Tc, brine carrying heat and nutrients can move through the ice, whereas for colder temperatures the ice is impermeable. This transition plays a key role in the geophysics, biology, and remote sensing of sea ice. Percolation theory can be used to understand this critical behavior of transport in sea ice. The similarity of sea ice microstructure to compressed powders is used to theoretically predict pc of about 5 percent.

Source: Science

DOI: 10.1126/science.282.5397.2238

Authors: K. M. Golden, S. F. Ackley, V. I. Lytle

Institutions: University of Tasmania, Australian Antarctic Division, University of Utah, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

Language: English

Topic: Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics

Subfield: Atmospheric Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2066445645

FWCI: 2.427

Cites: 22

Cited by: 486

Related to: 9