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Effects of Mackenzie River discharge and bathymetry on sea ice in the Beaufort Sea
Author(s) -
Nghiem S. V.,
Hall D. K.,
Rigor I. G.,
Li P.,
Neumann G.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl058956
Subject(s) - oceanography , geology , sea ice , arctic ice pack , seabed gouging by ice , bathymetry , fast ice , antarctic sea ice , arctic , drift ice , iceberg , ocean gyre , beaufort sea , submarine pipeline , fishery , subtropics , biology
Abstract Mackenzie River discharge and bathymetry effects on sea ice in the Beaufort Sea are examined in 2012 when Arctic sea ice extent hit a record low. Satellite‐derived sea surface temperature revealed warmer waters closer to river mouths. By 5 July 2012, Mackenzie warm waters occupied most of an open water area about 316,000 km 2 . Surface temperature in a common open water area increased by 6.5°C between 14 June and 5 July 2012, before and after the river waters broke through a recurrent landfast ice barrier formed over the shallow seafloor offshore the Mackenzie Delta. In 2012, melting by warm river waters was especially effective when the strong Beaufort Gyre fragmented sea ice into unconsolidated floes. The Mackenzie and other large rivers can transport an enormous amount of heat across immense continental watersheds into the Arctic Ocean, constituting a stark contrast to the Antarctic that has no such rivers to affect sea ice.