Abstract
Field studies1 and laboratory experiments2,3 have shown that sea currents align the crystallographic c axes in sea ice, illustrating the profound effect of fluid motion on the freezing of brine. The role of buoyancy forces in the melt is further investigated here by solidifying NaCl solution in a centrifuge. When the ice is grown under negative accelerations (choosing the solidification direction as positive) the salt concentration in the ice decreases monotonically with depth, whilst with positive acceleration it has the characteristic C-shaped profile found in natural sea ice. In addition the concentration decreases as the acceleration increases at any given depth. This behaviour has been found to be due to variations in the initial trapping of brine rather than to subsequent buoyancy-driven drainage. Accelerations up to 250 ms−2 (25.5g) reduce the scale of features within the ‘solid’ while maintaining the essential characteristics of a sea ice cover.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
