Author(s): Arash Rafat; Homa Kheyrollah Pour; Christopher Spence; Michael J. Palmer
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Lake ice; Break-up; Thermodynamics; Freshwater; Thawing-degree days; Snowmelt
Abstract: In this study, we present a complete record of in-situ lake ice decay observations in a small and shallow lake collected from a newly constructed Floating Research Station near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Ice thicknesses and snow depths are recorded using a thermistor-string based apparatus (SIMBA), and environmental conditions recorded using a meteorological station on the lake. Results showed that mechanical deterioration of ice contributed to 36 cm of total ice decay, while 44 cm was attributed to thermal melt, of which 64 % was from surface melt. Daily surface albedo declined exponentially from 0.74 to 0.18 during decay. The average open water albedo was 0.25. Light extinction coefficients in water during melt ranged from 0.71-1.4 m-1 and was an average of 0.36 m-1 for open water conditions. A simple accumulated thawing-degree-day (ATDD) model with slope factor 0.56 cm °C-1 d-1 proved moderately effective at simulating ice decay. A brief discussion comparing results presented here with those collected from similar stations in the literature is provided. A commentary on the applicability of ATDD models for ice decay and some of the challenges of using floating stations for monitoring ice decay ends this discussion.
Year: 2024