The role of coal pollution in intensification of the fast ice melting in the Sveabukta bay (Van Mijenfjorden, Spitsbergen)

• Main Authors: P. V. Bogorodsky, A. P. Makshtas, A. V. Marchenko, V. Yu. Kustov
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Nauka 2015-03-01
• Series: Lëd i Sneg
• Subjects: coal particles; contamination; heat- and mass transfer; land fast-ice; melting
• Online Access: https://ice-snow.igras.ru/jour/article/view/29

The processes of heat- and mass transfer in Sveabukta Bay sea ice cover during Spring 2010 the particularity of which is conditioned by pollution from open coal storages situated on shore have been studied. Typical features of land fast ice radiation and thermodynamic properties were described and estimates for vertical distribution of coal particles concentration within ice body were obtained. The coal particles were shown to serve as tracers of transfer processes in the sea ice thickness. It was revealed that the integral value of the absorbed solar radiation (shortwave radiation balance) is virtually independent of the features of the incoming solar radiation spectrum and the spectral dependence of the reflectivity of the ice cover of various contaminations. For computation of fast ice evolution characteristics the conceptual thermodynamic model which describes melting processes in the obvious form was used. According to calculations the melt pond forming on dirty ice under typical meteorological conditions begins one – three weeks earlier than that of clear ice depending on degree of contamination characterized by reflective ability of underlying surface. With decreasing of albedo the temperature of melt rises despite the fact that due to time difference the melting of clear ice occurs at higher temperatures.