Mass and Heat Balance of a Lake Ice Cover in the Central Asian Arid Climate Zone

Peng Lu,Wenfeng Huang,Jussi Huotari,Zhijun Li,Matti Leppäranta,Lauri Arvola,Xiaowei Cao,Guoyu Li

doi:10.3390/w12102888

Abstract

To improve the understanding of the seasonal evolution of the mass and heat budget of ice-covered lakes in the cold and arid climate zone, in-situ observations were collected during two winters (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) in Lake Wuliangsuhai, Inner Mongolia, China. The mean snow thickness was 5.2 and 1.6 cm in these winters, due to low winter precipitation. The mean ice thickness was 50.9 and 36.1 cm, and the ice growth rate was 3.6 and 2.1 mm day−1 at the lower boundary of ice. Analyses of mass and heat balance data from two winters revealed that the surface heat budget was governed by solar radiation and terrestrial radiation. The net heat flux loss of the ice was 9–22 W m−2, affected by the snow and ice thickness. Compared to boreal lakes, Lake Wuliangsuhai received more solar radiation and heat flux from the water. The ice temperature had a strong diurnal variation, which was produced by the diurnal cycles of solar radiation, and air and water temperatures. These results expand our knowledge of the evolution of mass and heat balance in temperate lakes of mid-latitude arid areas.

Highlights

Lakes with seasonal ice are a major component of the terrestrial landscape
The present study addresses three main questions: (i) How does the ice and snow thickness develop during the winter? (ii) What is the main controlling factor in the process of lake ice growth and melting?
The stratification was unstable before the snowfall event on February 7, 2017, especially at the

Summary

Introduction

Lakes with seasonal ice are a major component of the terrestrial landscape. They cover approximately 2% of the Earth’s land surface, and the majority are located in the NorthernHemisphere [1,2]. Lakes with seasonal ice are a major component of the terrestrial landscape. They cover approximately 2% of the Earth’s land surface, and the majority are located in the Northern. Compared to other high-latitude terrestrial surfaces, lakes have a higher evaporation rate [3] and less daily and nightly temperature variability. The ice season is a key part of the annual cycle of cold climate lakes, with impacts on both the regional climate and weather events, such as thermal moderation and the lake effect on snow accumulation [1,4]. The water temperature and salinity structure under the ice remains normally stable due to the lack of wind mixing and solar forcing until spring, but in mid-latitude arid climates, solar radiation may force convection throughout the winter.

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Conclusion