Precise estimation of sea ice thickness and ice/brine ratio are difficult to be made in situ. Electromagnetic methods are the most suitable techniques to evaluate such parameters as they can be inferred starting from the dielectric properties of the ice.

In this experiment we will use time and frequency domain techniques to monitor, in real time, sea ice formation, growth and evolution in time. We will estimate the vertical distribution of the dielectric parameters during ice growth using a multilevel probe made of a series of horizontal transmission lines (4 cm apart) connected to a Vector Network Analyzer. From such parameters, using appropriate mixing models, the vertical distribution of brines and the ice salinity will be computed.  These results will be compared with the data collected using vertical probes (of different length) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) equipped with 1000 and 500 MHz antennas. In particular, GPR will be extensively employed to measure ice thickness and study the effect of the brine distribution on the estimation of the ice depth.

Fieldwork site: Sea Ice Environmental Research Facility (SERF), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg (Canada)

PI: E. Pettinelli / D. Barber

Project lead: E.Pettinelli

Project Participants: Elena Pettinelli, Elisabetta Mattei, Federico Di Paolo, Barbara Cosciotti, Sebastian Lauro (Roma Tre University, Italy); David Barber (CEOS); Marcos Lemes (CEOS)