New publication on Ice Thickening

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Refreeze

The Arctic is melting rapidly and is highly likely to experience its first ice-free summer by 2060, even with efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 °C (Dunne, 2019). This loss of ice could significantly impact the climate, necessitating targeted action in the region. One proposed method to address this is the use of "Ice Volcanoes," which involves pumping seawater onto the ice during winter to accelerate freezing and help the ice survive summer.

Researchers have investigated this method both theoretically and experimentally. They modelled how ice thickness changes when water flows over its surface, focusing on short time scales where the primary heat transfers are from water to the ice and conduction through the ice. They considered three flow models: an inviscid flow without a thermal boundary layer, an inviscid flow with a thermal boundary layer, and a viscous shear flow with a thermal boundary layer.

The viscous shear flow model was found to be the most accurate when compared to experimental results for water injected at 0.5 °C and 0.8 °C. However, none of the models accurately predicted results for water at 2 °C. The study discusses potential reasons for this discrepancy and concludes with suggestions for further research and implications for the use of ice volcanoes.

You can access the full paper here.