Meltwater sources and sinks for multiyear Arctic sea ice in summer

Abstract. On Arctic sea ice, the melt of snow and ice generate a summertime flux fresh water to upper ocean. The partitioning this meltwater storage in ponds deposition ocean has consequences for surface heat budget, mass balance, primary productivity. Synthesizing results from 1997–1998 SHEBA field experiment, we calculate sources sinks produced on multiyear floe during summer melt. total input system snowmelt, melt, precipitation 1 June 9 August was equivalent layer 80 cm thick over ice-covered open A 85 % deposited ocean, only 15 stored ponds. cumulative contributions drainage bottom melting were roughly equal.