Extreme summer melt: Assessing the habitability and physical structure of rotting first-year Arctic sea ice

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal has two main objectives: 1) determination of the physical and microbial characteristics and microstructural evolution of sea ice exposed to severe melt; and 2) exploration of the influence of biogenic particles such as sea ice algae, bacteria and polymer gels on the melting behavior of sea ice. This research will develop and apply state-of-the-art microbiological, molecular, biogeochemical and geophysical techniques to examine the character and evolution of natural Arctic sea ice at the end of the melt season at field sites near Barrow, Alaska. This project will assess: (1) ice physical characteristics (ice density, salinity, permeability, albedo, and microstructure) using standard and novel microscopy and X-ray computed tomography techniques; (2) ice algal and bacterial characteristics (abundance, activity, biomass, productivity and diversity) using epifluorescence and confocal microscopy, flow cytometry and massively parallel taq sequencing techniques; (3) polymer gel characteristics (abundance, composition, gel carbon biomass, and size) using in situ microscopy, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy techniques; and (4) the relationship between biogenic particles and ice physical characteristics, in particular microstructural properties for melted and intact ice samples using image analysis and correlative statistical methods. This proposed project will carry out educational outreach by offering research experience to an undergraduate student, mentoring a postdoctoral research associate, and entrainment of relevant scientific results into both academic curricula and public outreach.