Although perennially ice-covered Antarctic lakes have experienced variable ice thicknesses over the past several decades, future ice thickness trends and associated aquatic biological responses under projected global warming remain unknown. Heat stored in the water column in chemically stratified Antarctic lakes that have middepth temperature maxima can significantly influence the ice thickness trends via upward heat flux to the ice/water interface. We modeled the ice thickness of the west lobe of Lake Bonney, Antarctica, based on possible future climate scenarios utilizing a 1D thermodynamic model that accounts for surface radiative fluxes as well as the heat flux associated with the temperature evolution of the water column. Model results predict that the ice cover of Lake Bonney will shift from perennial to seasonal within one to four decades, a change that will drastically influence ecosystem processes within the lake.
1.US Geol Survey, Cascades Volcano Observ, Vancouver, WA 98683 USA 2.Louisiana State Univ, Dept Geol & Geophys, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA 3.Montana State Univ, Dept Land Resources & Environm Sci, Bozeman, MT 59717 USA
Recommended Citation:
Obryk, M. K.,Doran, P. T.,Priscu, J. C.. Prediction of Ice-Free Conditions for a Perennially Ice-Covered Antarctic Lake[J]. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE,2019-01-01,124(2):686-694