Morphometry and unusual internal structure of ice ridge investigated at Barneo ice camp in April 2013

Abstract

First-year ice ridge has been examined with respect to geometry and morphology at the Barneo ice camp in April 2013. Its characteristics are discussed in the paper. The sail height was 4.7 m, the keel depth was 8.6 m. The keel depth to sail height ratio was equal to 1.8. Structure of the keel of the examined ice ridge was too heterogeneous in its composition. Significant fragment in the keel of ice ridge is fully consolidated, its draft reaches to 5.8 m but the fragment's upper boundary is located at the sea level. This indicates the presence of hydrostatic unbalance. Away from the point of maximum keel draft on the cross-section, the average porosity of the unconsolidated part of the keel tends to increase, but again decreases at the periphery of the keel. The distribution of ice fraction in sea ice versus depth for the ice ridge is presented. Increased ice fraction corresponds to the consolidated layer. The depth of the lower boundary of consolidated layer is confirmed by distributions of ice temperature versus depth.