Author(s): Vasiola Zhaka; Robert Bridges; Kaj Riska; Andrzej Cwirzen
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Sea Ice; Ice Formation; Growth and Dynamics
Abstract: Snow-ice forms in early winter from snow falling in water at the time when water is starting to freeze. It also forms in fairways when snowfall occurs in ship brash ice channels and vessel navigation mixes the snow with water. In both cases, the snow submerges into the water and forms slush, which subsequently freezes to snow-ice when subjected to low air temperatures. The current work evaluates the snow to slush transformation rate by submerging snow in a container in cold laboratory conditions. The effects of the initial snow mass (0.2 and 1.2kg), snow temperature (-15 and -5°C), and water temperature (0 and 4°C) on slush thickness were investigated. The design the of experiment approach was used to create a completely randomized two-level factorial design (23) experiment with four center points, and to assess the results utilizing a regression model. The difference between the calculated theoretical snow thickness and the measured slush thickness was evaluated. The results showed that the slush thickness was mainly influenced by the initial snow mass and the water temperature, whilst the initial snow temperature had a minimal influence.
Year: 2022