Measurements of the physical properties of Antarctic fast ice and their variations throughout the growth season

The aim of the project was three fold; 1) to document the basic physical properties of Antarctic fast ice (salinity, temperature, crystal structure, brine volume, sub ice platelet thickness, ice thickness and snow cover depth and density) and their variations throughout the growth season, 2) to measure the energy fluxes associated with ice growth over the same period in order to assess the applicability of thermodynamic ice growth models developed for the Arctic to Antarctica sea ice and 3) to measure the nature and magnitude of propagating flexural gravity waves in the ice.

Almost all of the measurements were conducted on second year ice at a site roughly 1.5km directly offshore from Scott Base. Several transects were made in late winter and spring in which the ice, snow and sub ice platelet thicknesses were measured over a much greater area. Micro-meteorological data was collected including in-ice temperature profiles, net radiation, wind direction and two levels of each wind speed, air temperature and humidity.