Takenobu Toyota

The effect of sea‐ice growth on air–sea CO2 flux in a tank experiment

In order to clarify the CO2 exchange between the seawater and the overlying air during the sea-ice formation, we have carried out tank experiments in a low-temperature room. CO2 concentration above the sea-ice began to increase since the beginning of the sea-ice formation, and increased at larger rates with time and the decrease in air temperature. This increase of CO2 concentration in air was mainly caused by the increase in dissolved inorganic carbon concentration in the brine of the upper part of sea-ice, changes in CO2 solubility and dissociation constants of carbonic acid. The CO2 flux increased logarithmically with time, and reached a level of 2 × 10-4 to 5 × 10-4 g-C m-2 hr-1 at 50 mm ice thickness. We found that the CO2 flux was correlated well with the salinity and negatively with the volume of the brine in the upper part of the sea-ice. These suggested the larger role of the difference in partial pressure of CO2 between brine and air as compared to that of competitive change in the brine volume. Present results suggest the necessity to examine the CO2 exchange between the seawater and air in seasonal sea-ice areas.

Effects of snow, snowmelting and refreezing processes on air-sea-ice CO2 flux

The air-sea-ice CO2 flux was measured in the ice-covered Saroma-ko, a lagoon on the northeastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan, using a chamber technique. The air-sea-ice CO2 flux ranged from -1.8 to +0.5 mg C m -2 h -1 (where negative values indicate a sink for atmospheric CO2). The partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in the brine of sea ice was substantially lower than that of the atmosphere, primarily because of the influence of the under-ice plume from the Saromabetsu river located in the southeastern part of the lagoon. This suggests that the brine had the ability to take up atmospheric CO2 into the sea ice. However, the snow deposited over the sea ice and the superimposed ice that formed from snowmelting and refreezing partially blocked CO2 diffusion, acting as an impermeable medium for CO2 transfer. Our results suggest that the air-sea-ice CO2 flux was dependent not only on the difference in pCO2 between the brine and the overlying air, but also on the status of the ice surface. These results provide the necessary evidence for evaluation of the gas exchange processes in ice-covered seas.

Physical and stable isotopic properties and growth processes of sea ice collected in the southern Sea of Okhotsk

This study presents physical and stable isotopic properties of sea ice in the southernmost section of the Sea of Okhotsk on the basis of observations and measurements made in 1995 and 1996 midwinter cruises. Structural analysis revealed that ice was predominantly of the granular type. Saucer-shaped cores and wedges were seen in the cross sections of the pancakes, which indicate a rafting event in the early stage of the pancake formation. The fraction of snow with respect to the total ice mass was estimated at ∼8% from independent δ18O and density measurements. From these findings we conclude that the initial growth mechanisms of the sea ice over this region are by the frazil pancake cycle with rafting and by the snow ice formation. Analysis also shows that the formation of the snow ice induces ∼10% more salt flux through the additional freezing of the seawater. In a short (synoptic) timescale this implies that snow becomes a negative (salting) rather than a positive (freshening) source for the buoyancy flux. These results suggest critical influence of the rapid formation of the frazil pancakes and snow ice under stormy conditions on the salt and buoyancy fluxes over the region.

Retrieval of sea ice thickness distribution in the seasonal ice zone from airborne L-band SAR

Although satellite data are known to be useful for obtaining ice thickness distribution for perennial sea ice or in stable thin sea ice areas, their use in the seasonal sea ice zone (SIZ) is still unresolved. In this study, we approached the problem of ice thickness retrieval by using L‐band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). In the SIZ, ice thickness growth is closely related to ridging activity and therefore we expected surface roughness to be correlated to ice thickness. L‐band SAR is suitable for detecting such surface roughness and should be a useful tool for obtaining ice thickness distribution. To verify this correlation, we conducted shipborne electromagnetic (EM) inductive sounding and supersonic profiling observations with an icebreaker, coordinated with airborne L‐band SAR observations in the southern Sea of Okhotsk in February 2005. The surface elevation was estimated by representing the ships motion with a low‐pass filter. Backscattering coefficients correlated well with ice thickness and surface roughness, defined by the standard deviation of the surface elevation. This result sheds light on the possibility of determining ice thickness distribution in the SIZ.

Ship-borne electromagnetic induction sounding of sea-ice thickness in the southern Sea of Okhotsk

Abstract Recent observations have revealed that dynamical thickening is dominant in the growth process of Sea ice in the Southern Sea of Okhotsk. That indicates the importance of understanding the nature of thick deformed ice in this area. The objective of the present paper is to establish a Ship-based method for observing the thickness of deformed ice with reasonable accuracy. Since February 2003, one of the authors has engaged in the core Sampling using a Small basket from the icebreaker Soya. Based on these results, we developed a new model which expressed the internal Structure of pack ice in the Southern Sea of Okhotsk, as a one-dimensional multilayered Structure. Since 2004, the electromagnetic (EM) inductive Sounding of Sea-ice thickness has been conducted on board Soya. By combining the model and theoretical calculations, a new algorithm was developed for transforming the output of the EM inductive instrument to ice + Snow thickness (total thickness). Comparison with total thickness by drillhole observations Showed fair agreement. The probability density functions of total thickness in 2004 and 2005 Showed Some difference, which reflected the difference of fractions of thick deformed ice.

Standardization of electromagnetic-induction measurements of sea-ice thickness in polar and subpolar seas

Abstract Electromagnetic–induction (EM) instruments can be used to estimate Sea-ice thickness because of the large contrast in the conductivities of Sea ice and Sea water, and are currently used in investigations of Sea-ice thickness. In this Study we analyze Several Snow, ice and Sea-water Samples and attempt to derive an appropriate formula to transform the apparent conductivity obtained from EM measurements to the total thickness of Snow and ice for all regions and Seasons. This was done to Simplify the EM tuning procedure. Surface EM measurement transects with the instrument at varying heights above the ice were made in the Chukchi Sea, off East Antarctica, in the Sea of Okhotsk and in Saroma-ko (lagoon). A Standardized transformation formula based on a one-dimensional multi-layer model was developed that also considers the effects of water-filled gaps between deformed ice, a Saline Snow Slush layer, and the increase in the footprint Size caused by increasing the instrument height. The overall average error in ice thickness determined with the Standardized transform was <7%, and the regional average errors were 2.2% for the Arctic, 7.0% for the Antarctic, 6.5% for the Sea of Okhotsk and 4.4% for Saroma-ko.

Characteristics of the surface heat budget during the ice-growth season in the southern Sea of Okhotsk

Abstract The heat budget over the ice-covered area of the southern Sea of Okhotsk is estimated from in situ meteorological and ice observation for four years, 1996−99. The data are from about 1 week in early February in each of four years. Ice-thickness distributions required for calculating the heat budget are quantitatively obtained from video analysis. A one-dimensional thermodynamical model is used to calculate the heat flux. The total heat flux is obtained by summing up the area-weighted heat flux of each ice-thickness category. In addition, to determine the characteristics of the heat budget in this region, we also calculated the heat budget in the northern Sea of Okhotsk using Special Sensor Microwave/Imager ice-extent data and European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts meteorological data, and compared the results. Our investigations show the following characteristics in the southern Sea of Okhotsk: (1) Due to relatively thin ice thickness, the average turbulent heat flux is upward. (2) Thin ice and open water contribute significantly to the total turbulent heat flux. (3) Thermodynamic ice growth is limited to about 1 cm d−1 on average. (4) The heat budget is largely characterized by abundant solar radiation. The first, third and fourth results are characteristic of this region located at a relatively low latitude, while the second one is similar to that for polar regions.

Evidence for significant protein-like dissolved organic matter accumulation in Sea of Okhotsk sea ice

Abstract Absorption and fluorescence of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in sea ice and surface waters in the southern Sea of Okhotsk was examined. Sea-water CDOM had featureless absorption increasing exponentially with shorter wavelengths. Sea ice showed distinct absorption peaks in the ultraviolet, especially in younger ice. Older first-year sea ice had relatively flat absorption spectra in the ultraviolet range. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) identified five fluorescent CDOM components, two humic-like and three protein-like. Sea water was largely governed by humic-like fluorescence. In sea ice, protein-like fluorescence was found in considerable excess relative to sea water. The accumulation of protein-like CDOM fluorescence in sea ice is likely a result of biological activity within the ice. Nevertheless, sea ice does not contribute excess CDOM during melt, but the material released will be of different composition than that present in the underlying waters. Thus, at least transiently, the CDOM introduced during sea-ice melt might provide a more labile source of fresher protein-like DOM to surface waters in the southern Sea of Okhotsk.

Retrieval of sea-ice thickness distribution in the Sea of Okhotsk from ALOS/PALSAR backscatter data

Abstract Although satellite data are useful for obtaining ice-thickness distribution for perennial sea ice or in stable thin-sea-ice areas, they are still largely an unresolved issue for the seasonal ice zone (SIZ). We address this problem using L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR). In the SIZ, ice-thickness growth is closely related to deformation, so surface roughness is expected to correlate with ice thickness. L-band SAR, suitable for detecting such surface roughness, is a promising tool for obtaining thickness distribution. This idea was supported by an airborne polarimetric and interferometric SAR (Pi-SAR) validation. To extend this result to spaceborne L-band SAR with coarser resolution, we conducted in situ measurements of ice thickness and surface roughness in February 2008 in the southern Sea of Okhotsk with an icebreaker in coordination with the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS)/Phased Array-type L-band SAR (PALSAR) orbit. A helicopter-borne laser profiler was used to improve the estimation of surface roughness. It was found that backscatter coefficients (HH) correlated well with ice thickness (R = 0.86) and surface roughness (R = 0.70), which confirms the possibility of determining ice-thickness distribution in the SIZ. the interannual variation of PALSAR-derived ice-thickness distribution in the southern Sea of Okhotsk is also discussed.

Helicopter-borne observations with portable microwave radiometer in the Southern Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk

Abstract Accurately measuring and monitoring the thickness distribution of thin ice is crucial for accurate estimation of ocean–atmosphere heat fluxes and rates of ice production and salt flux in ice-affected oceans. Here we present results from helicopter-borne brightness temperature (TB) measurements in the Southern Ocean in October 2012 and in the Sea of Okhotsk in February 2009 carried out with a portable passive microwave (PMW) radiometer operating at a frequency of 36 GHz. The goal of these measurements is to aid evaluation of a satellite thin-ice thickness algorithm which uses data from the spaceborne Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer–Earth Observing System AMSR-E) or the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-II (AMSR-II). AMSR-E and AMSR-II TB agree with the spatially collocated mean TB from the helicopter-borne measurements within the radiometers’ precision. In the Sea of Okhotsk in February 2009, the AMSR-E 36GHz TB values are closer to the mean than the modal TB values measured by the helicopter-borne radiometer. In an Antarctic coastal polynya in October 2012, the polarization ratio of 36GHz vertical and horizontal TB is estimated to be 0.137 on average. Our measurements of the TB at 36 GHz over an iceberg tongue suggest a way to discriminate it from sea ice by its unique PMW signature.