Author(s): Nataliya Marchenko; Aleksey Marchenko
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Iceberg melting; Laboratory Experiment; Deterioration; Shape; 3D Models; Scallop structure
Abstract: The understanding of melting icebergs is important both in practical applications (iceberg management, risk assessment, towing for water supply) and in fundamental scientific inquiry, specifically in melting thermodynamics. Several laboratory experiments were conducted at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) to explore processes in a tank equipped with a wavemaker in the cold lab. Iceberg models with a cylindrical shape were crafted from cores of columnar lake ice with a diameter of 24 cm. During experiments involving melting under the influence of various factors (such as temperature and waves), the shape of the samples underwent changes. Time-lapse cameras were employed to monitor and describe shapes, as well as to measure the dimensions of icebergs during the experiments. In experiments conducted in calm water, the cylindrical shape transformed into a truncated cone, and melting from below occurred faster than from the sides. In experiments with waves, characteristic visors or cornices, as well as depressions, formed due to lateral erosion, resulting in stronger melting from the sides. Directly beneath the visors, the iceberg diameters were smaller than near the ice bottom, forming what is referred to as an 'iceberg waist'. Additionally, the surface exhibited a cellular pattern, and scallops or pits measuring 0.5-1.5 cm in size and several millimeters deep were formed. Detailed information will be provided in the forthcoming article. 3D models were created and analyzed using photogrammetry and laser scanning. It is acknowledged that capturing and reflecting the ice surface is challenging due to its glistening nature. Therefore, various techniques are employed to enhance the images, and reliable software and algorithms are carefully chosen to present and measure parameters.
Year: 2024