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A New Thermal Categorization of Ice‐Covered Lakes
Author(s) -
Yang Bernard,
Wells Mathew G.,
McMeans Bailey C.,
Dugan Hilary A.,
Rusak James A.,
Weyhenmeyer Gesa A.,
Brentrup Jennifer A.,
Hrycik Allison R.,
Laas Alo,
Pilla Rachel M.,
Austin Jay A.,
Blanchfield Paul J.,
Carey Cayelan C.,
Guzzo Matthew M.,
Lottig Noah R.,
MacKay Murray D.,
Middel Trevor A.,
Pierson Don C.,
Wang Junbo,
Young Joelle D.
Publication year - 2021
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 - 10.1029/2020gl091374
Subject(s) - stratification (seeds) , thermal stratification , geology , trophic level , environmental science , climatology , hydrology (agriculture) , atmospheric sciences , physical geography , geography , paleontology , seed dormancy , thermocline , botany , germination , geotechnical engineering , dormancy , biology
Lakes are traditionally classified based on their thermal regime and trophic status. While this classification adequately captures many lakes, it is not sufficient to understand seasonally ice‐covered lakes, the most common lake type on Earth. We describe the inverse thermal stratification in 19 highly varying lakes and derive a model that predicts the temperature profile as a function of wind stress, area, and depth. The results suggest an additional subdivision of seasonally ice‐covered lakes to differentiate underice stratification. When ice forms in smaller and deeper lakes, inverse stratification will form with a thin buoyant layer of cold water (near 0°C) below the ice, which remains above a deeper 4°C layer. In contrast, the entire water column can cool to ∼0°C in larger and shallower lakes. We suggest these alternative conditions for dimictic lakes be termed “cryostratified” and “cryomictic.”