GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 30, NO. 7, 1376, doi:10.1029/2002GL016197, 2003
Variability of sea-ice draft off Hokkaido in the Sea of Okhotsk revealed by a moored ice-profiling sonar in winter of 1999
Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University,
Japan
Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University,
Japan
Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University,
Japan
Institute of Ocean Sciences,
Canada
ASL Environmental Sciences Inc.,
Canada
Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University,
Japan
Abstract
[1] Using a moored ice-profiling sonar along with an ADCP, a spatial section of draft across 855 km of sea ice was obtained for the first time in the southwestern part of the Okhotsk Sea near Hokkaido in winter of 1999. The draft evolved from 0.20 m in mid-February to 1.45 m in late March with the overall value of 0.72 m. The draft characteristics were quite different between February and March before and after the period of strong winds. The increase of the mean draft from February to March was associated with the increase of deformed ice. The maximum draft observed was ~17 m. Ice volume was dominated by the contribution from portions of deformed ice especially in March. These results suggest that deformed ice dominated in the region of observation and dynamical processes were mainly responsible for the evolution of draft.
Received 30 August 2002; accepted 14 October 2002; published 5 April 2003.
Index Terms: 4540 Oceanography: Physical: Ice mechanics and air/sea/ice exchange processes; 4243 Oceanography: General: Marginal and semienclosed seas.
Citation: , Variability of sea-ice draft off Hokkaido in the Sea of Okhotsk revealed by a moored ice-profiling sonar in winter of 1999, Geophys. Res. Lett., 30(7), 1376, doi:10.1029/2002GL016197, 2003.