Influence of Sea Ice on Under-ice Mixing Under Stratified Conditions: Potential Impacts on Particle Distribution

The influence of ice drift upon the thermohaline structure of the upper sea-layer was studied based on CTD-probing near the edge of the eastern Kara Sea ice cover. This study was aimed at investigating the dynamics and spatial – temporal variability of thermohaline frontal boundaries connected with the moving ice edges of different concentration. Investigations revealed that locally mixed thin layers are formed in the subsurface layer under the influence of ice drift. Under conditions of uninterrupted stratification, redistribution and capture of suspended matter within these thin layers may occur. Furthermore, under conditions of freezing and demolition of density stratification in the surface layer, this matter can be redistributed and incorporated into sea ice