The Salinity Distribution in Young Sea-Ice

Abstract

When undertaking a study of the lateral variation of the salinity of sea-ice it is necessary to select an area of ice with a known history. The field measurements reported here were made in North Star Bay, Thule, northwestern Greenland .... The sampling for the sheet ice grid was started at 1100 on November 6 and by 2100 the 2-, 4-, 8- and 16-foot grids were completed. The 32-, 64- and 128-foot grids were completed the following morning. ... Sampling of the pancake ice was started at 0900 on November 9 and completed by the evening of the same day. ... the standard deviation of the salinity values from closely spaced cored samples in sheet ice is always equal to or greater than ±0.3 per mil. In pancake ice, the standard deviation is usually ±1.0 per mil. ... this uncertainty will produce a standard deviation of approx. ±4 to 6 per cent of the total brine volume in the sheet ice and ±11 to 19 per cent of the total brine volume in pancake ice. This then accounts for a considerable proportion of the scatter observed in studying the strength properties of sea-ice.