Sea ice, ice drift, and oceanic circulation

David Thomas, Finlo Cottier, Mark Brandon

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

The episodic freezing over of the surface waters is arguably the most striking feature of the Southern and Arctic Oceans as well as some subarctic oceans such as the Baltic and Okhotsk Seas. Millions of square kilometers are covered by ephemeral layers of ice that are on average less than 1 m thick. This pack ice is highly dynamic, drifting on the underlying ocean currents, and its distribution is greatly influenced by prevailing winds. The ice is not simply an impervious layer of frozen water, but does in fact provide a variety of habitats to create a productive biome which is pertinent in the biogeochemical processes in the surface waters and at the air–ocean interface.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe International Encyclopedia of Geography: People, the Earth, Environment, and Technology
PublisherWILEY Publications
ISBN (Electronic)9781118786352
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2017

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