Sir Robin Irvine Scholarship

Inga Smith
Department of Physics, University of Otago

Platelet ice in McMurdo Sound Antarctica

Platelet ice is a type of sea ice whose crystals are large and leaf-like in appearance. Billows of loose platelets are sometimes found under the main sea ice cover of McMurdo Sound. It is not known whether the platelets grow attached to the main ice cover or form at depth in the water column and simply congregate under the ice. This research is focussed on determining which of these two possibilities is the dominant mechanism of platelet ice formation.

Publications

Smith I. J. et al. Platelet ice and the land-fast sea ice of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Annals of Glaciology 33: 21-27, 2001.

Smith, I. J. Platelet ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Ph.D., University of Otago. 2001.

Trodahl, H.K. et al. Heat transport in McMurdo Sound first year fast ice. Journal of Geophysical Research 105(C5): 11,347-11,358, 2000.