Transport adjacent to ice surfaces melting in saline water: visualization experiments

Abstract

The results of an experimental investigation of the buoyancy driven flows adjacent to vertical, and horizontal, flat ice surfaces, melting in water at various temperature and salinity levels are presented. The flows were visualized by taking time exposure photographs of neutrally buoyant particles suspended in the flow field. Several diverse flow regimes were observed for the vertical case, depending upon ambient water temperature and salinity levels. For the horizontal case, only oceanic salinity (35%) was studied, at various temperature levels. Interface temperatures were also measured using thermocouples embedded inside the ice surfaces.