Ocean and sea-ice observations during the Antarctic Climate Research Program

Abstract

A five-year program of Antarctic Climate Research (ACR) started in 1987. Air-ice-sea interaction study was one of the main subjects of the program. Intensive observations for this purpose were conducted in Ongul Strait and Lutzow-Holm Bay in 1990-1992. Measurements by means of CTD, XBT, AXBT and electromagnetic current meter, and seawater sampling was carried out in order to reveal the flow and oceanic structure under fast ice. Current meters and thermistor chains were also moored to collect long-term data. Sea ice cores were sampled and analyzed to determine the structure and growth processes. In this report, we describe first ocean and sea-ice observations in detail, second, structure and development of sea ice at points across Ongul Strait, and last, growth processes of sea ice in an artificial pool in Ongul Strait.