Author(s): Jiaqi Yang; Chuankang Pei; Yuntong She; Mark Loewen
Linked Author(s): Mark R. Loewen, Yuntong She
Keywords: River Ice; Ice Formation; Growth and Dynamics
Abstract: Anchor ice forming in supercooled and turbulent rivers has significant implications for fish habitat, operation of water resources infrastructures, and hydropower generation. Its evolution has been studied with laboratory experiments and mathematical modeling methods. However, direct measurements of the temporal variation of anchor ice in the field are rare. In this study, an underwater imaging system was constructed and deployed at a site on the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton during the 2021 freeze-up. The anchor ice formed on an artificial substrate was observed in-situ using the imaging system. The mechanisms of anchor ice formation and release were investigated, and the temporal variation of anchor ice dimensions during two events was calculated from the images. Results indicate that anchor ice formation and release were mainly controlled by the air temperature and solar radiation. Four stages of the evolution of anchor ice accumulation were identified, including two growth stages, a stable stage, and a decay/release stage.
Year: 2022