Sensitivity of sediment bed temperatures to changes in on-ice snow thickness beneath near-shore zones of bottom-fast ice in the Mackenzie Delta

Christopher W. Stevens, Brian J. Moorman, Steve M. Solomon

In the proceedings of: GEO2010 Calgary: 63rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference & 6th Canadian Permafrost Conference

Session: T1-E

ABSTRACT: This study examines the role that on-ice snow plays in regulating sediment bed temperatures beneath bottom-fast ice in the near-shore zone of the Mackenzie Delta. Field measurements indicate that mean winter sediment bed temperatures deviate up to 9.8oC (from -0.5oC to -10.3oC) in water ranging 10 cm to 100 cm deep. Intra-site variability in temperature over a two year period was as much as 4.7oC. Numerical thermal modeling confirms that the variability in sediment bed temperature is interrelated to the effects of snow on the duration of time ice is bottom-fast and the loss of heat from the underlying sediments.

RÉSUMÉ: Cette étude cherche à déterminer le rôle que joue la neige couvrant les étendues de glace dans la régularisation des températures du lit sédimentaire étant sous la glace de fond polaire situé à l'intérieur de la zone benthique littorale du Delta du Mackenzie. Des mesures prises sur le terrain indiquent que les températures hivernales moyennes du lit sédimentaire varient de 9.8 oC dans des eaux de 10 à 100 cm de profondeur. Une modélisation thermale confirme que la variabilité des températures est dépendante des effets des pertes de chaleur provenant des sédiments se trouvant sous cette glace.

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