Bridging the gaps: Unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff
Brine migration from sea ice into the overlying snowpack is relatively understudied yet can significantly modify thermodynamic and electromagnetic properties of the snow. In this study, we investigate the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff by producing samples of four distinctly d...
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143025000036/type/journal_article |
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| author | Anton Komarov Clement Soriot Robbie Mallett Rosemary Willatt John Yackel Matthew Sturm Julienne Stroeve |
| author_facet | Anton Komarov Clement Soriot Robbie Mallett Rosemary Willatt John Yackel Matthew Sturm Julienne Stroeve |
| author_sort | Anton Komarov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Brine migration from sea ice into the overlying snowpack is relatively understudied yet can significantly modify thermodynamic and electromagnetic properties of the snow. In this study, we investigate the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff by producing samples of four distinctly different snow types (soft wind slab, hard wind slab, faceted grains and melt-freeze clusters) and monitor changes in snow properties after adding brine. The results illustrate that snow grain type and density have a pronounced effect on the height of brine wicking and runoff, snow compaction rates and salt concentrations. In all samples, we observed separation of the initial brine-saturated slush layer into two sublayers with distinctly different properties: solid saline snow-ice at the bottom and less saline brine-wetted snow above it. The maximum height of brine wicking ranged from 6.5 cm in faceted snow to 8.9 cm in hard wind slab samples, which was equivalent of 40 to 50% of total samples’ height. The volume and timing of brine runoff varied between samples, occurring later and in smaller volumes in hard wind slab compared to soft wind slab and coarse-grained samples. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-972b7074dfaf4b29b796737e32fb20fe |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj-art-972b7074dfaf4b29b796737e32fb20fe2025-08-20T02:26:06ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522025-01-017110.1017/jog.2025.3Bridging the gaps: Unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoffAnton Komarov0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1396-9414Clement Soriot1Robbie Mallett2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1069-6529Rosemary Willatt3John Yackel4Matthew Sturm5Julienne Stroeve6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7316-8320Centre of Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CanadaCentre of Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, CanadaEarth Observation Group, Department of Physics and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwayCentre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM), Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK CPOM, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, UKDepartment of Geography, University of Calgary, Alberta, CanadaGeophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USACentre of Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, GermanyBrine migration from sea ice into the overlying snowpack is relatively understudied yet can significantly modify thermodynamic and electromagnetic properties of the snow. In this study, we investigate the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff by producing samples of four distinctly different snow types (soft wind slab, hard wind slab, faceted grains and melt-freeze clusters) and monitor changes in snow properties after adding brine. The results illustrate that snow grain type and density have a pronounced effect on the height of brine wicking and runoff, snow compaction rates and salt concentrations. In all samples, we observed separation of the initial brine-saturated slush layer into two sublayers with distinctly different properties: solid saline snow-ice at the bottom and less saline brine-wetted snow above it. The maximum height of brine wicking ranged from 6.5 cm in faceted snow to 8.9 cm in hard wind slab samples, which was equivalent of 40 to 50% of total samples’ height. The volume and timing of brine runoff varied between samples, occurring later and in smaller volumes in hard wind slab compared to soft wind slab and coarse-grained samples.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143025000036/type/journal_articleAntarcticArcticsea icesnowsnow stratigraphy |
| spellingShingle | Anton Komarov Clement Soriot Robbie Mallett Rosemary Willatt John Yackel Matthew Sturm Julienne Stroeve Bridging the gaps: Unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff Journal of Glaciology Antarctic Arctic sea ice snow snow stratigraphy |
| title | Bridging the gaps: Unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff |
| title_full | Bridging the gaps: Unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff |
| title_fullStr | Bridging the gaps: Unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bridging the gaps: Unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff |
| title_short | Bridging the gaps: Unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff |
| title_sort | bridging the gaps unraveling the impact of snow properties on brine wicking and runoff |
| topic | Antarctic Arctic sea ice snow snow stratigraphy |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143025000036/type/journal_article |
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