Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 12/06/2007 - 17:19
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Antarctic Ice Sheet Studies

G MAN-

This will be my second comment this week. Ok i was wondering if there is water there. I know that sounds stupid but what i mean is have you seen any parts of the ice that are cracked so you can see water? And if so i think it would be cool if you could figure out the salinity of it. We just learn about salinity this week so i figured i would ask you about it.

 

Hannah Rauckman

hour 2 mr. gillettes science class

Fri, 12/07/2007 - 11:59

Brandon Gillette

There is water here, we have to drink you know.  Really though, there is sea all around McMurdo this time of year.  In the coming weeks it will break up, exposing the ocean.  There is a ship headed here now that has to be able to make it to port.  As far as salinity goes, where there is water, it is near the average ocean salinity.  When the water freezes into sea ice, the salinity increases because the salt doesn't feeze with it.  When the sea ice melts, the salinity decreases because you are adding water back into the system.  This is also what drives ocean currents down here because of different densities based on different salinities.  You should be talking about that this week or next as well.Great question!
~Gillette