Formation of circular rings on the snow-covered ice field of Lake Baikal

Balkhanov, V. K.; Bashkuev, Yu. B.; Хаптанов, В. Б.

doi:10.1134/s1063784210090057

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…In the past decade, ice ring structures on Lake Baikal were regu larly identified by satellites [1]. On April 4, 2009, these structures emerged in the western end of South Baikal and near the Svyatoi Nos Peninsula in Central Baikal [1][2][3] and were destroyed along with the ice at the end of April. The expedition for studying the ice and hydrophysical measurements in the area of the ring structure in South Baikal was organized on April 7.…”

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Field studies and some results of numerical modeling of a ring structure on Baikal ice

et al. 2015

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Geological ring structures of various sizes and ori gins are observed on the Earth's surface. In the past decade, ice ring structures on Lake Baikal were regu larly identified by satellites [1]. On April 4, 2009, these structures emerged in the western end of South Baikal and near the Svyatoi Nos Peninsula in Central Baikal [1][2][3] and were destroyed along with the ice at the end of April. The expedition for studying the ice and hydrophysical measurements in the area of the ring structure in South Baikal was organized on April 7. This work presents the results of the field studies and modeling of the currents and variations in the ice thickness.The MODIS satellite data in the visible range with a spatial resolution of 250 m (www.geol.irk.ru) were used for remote study of the ring structure. During the field studies, the ice thickness was measured and the ice cores were drilled along two sections, which transect the center of the ring structure at 51°40′35″ N, 103°52′15″ E (Fig. 1a). The measurement stations were placed in the center of the structure and 1, 2, 3, and 4 km from it along the sections and 7 and 8 km to the west and to the east, respectively, from the center along the EW section. The ice surface in the center of the structure, at its periphery, and in the area of the dark ring was visually similar. No water was visible on the ice surface, and the ice was made up of vertical crys tals. The ice thickness was 74 cm in the center, decreased to 43 cm at the distance of 2 km from the center, and increased up to more than 70 cm beyond the ring.The temperature and electric conductivity of the water column were registered by a SBE 19 profiler. The water in the center was warmer by 0.5°С and less saline (for 2 mg/kg) relative to the periphery (Fig. 1b). In spite of the higher temperature in the center, the ice thickness was similar to that beyond the structure; i.e., the temperature of the water layer was not the major factor responsible for the decrease in the ice thickness. The deepening of the thermocline in the center of the structure (Fig. 1b) indicated the presence of the ring anticyclonic current.According to the tracer movements, the maximum velocities of the water currents (3-4 cm/s) were observed at a distance of 2-3 km from the center of the Abstract-This work presents the results of complex analysis of the field data and of mathematical modeling of the ice ring structure more than 4 km across, which was identified by the space images of South Baikal in April 2009. The measurements revealed that the ice thickness was 74 cm in the center of the structure, decreased to 43 cm at a distance of 2 km, and increased up to 70 cm and more beyond the ring. The ice water in the central part was warmer by 0.5°C and less saline (for 2 mg/kg) relative to the periphery of the structure. According to the tracer movements, the maximum velocities of the ice currents (3-4 cm/s) were observed at a distance of 2-3 km from the center of the structure with minimum ice thickness. The event was modeled using several mathem...

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Field studies and some results of numerical modeling of a ring structure on Baikal ice

et al. 2015

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“…Potential explanations of the ice rings' origin include a wide variety of hypotheses ranging from atmospheric influence and biological activity in the upper water layer to UFO activity and hoaxes (crop circles etc.). However, among the more scientific explanations (Granin ; Balkhanov et al ; Kouraev et al ; Granin et al ) the most cited is the hydrothermal activity of Lake Baikal, namely extremely high‐intensity gas venting (methane) from bottom sediments. As Lake Baikal was formed in an ancient rift, increased thermal flux from the lake sediments and temperature gradients can lead to intensive gas seeping.…”

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“…b) and numerical modelling, is that local upwelling of the deep waters after gas emission from a point source is affected by the Coriolis force, leading to the formation of a dome‐shaped density structure and an anticyclonic (clockwise) geostrophic ring current. Other gas‐related hypotheses include formation of toroidal convection bringing warmer water to the surface (Balkhanov et al ), or the formation of a mega‐bubble of gas trapped under the ice cover, thus isolating the central part and increasing heat exchange on the outer boundary of the mega‐bubble (Kouraev et al ). Other researchers (Bordonskiy and Krylov ) suggest that ice ring formation is explained by deformations and heterogeneity of ice cover and self‐organisation of ring‐like structure with the incoming solar energy as the main source.…”

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Giant ice rings on lakes Baikal and Hovsgol: Inventory, associated water structure and potential formation mechanism

Kouraev

Zakharova

Rémy

et al. 2016

Limnology & Oceanography

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Observations of giant ice rings on Lake Baikal (Russia) have recently sparked scientific and public interest. However, there is still no clear consensus on their origins. Here, we provide an inventory of the ice rings based on satellite imagery and photography for 1974-2014. We have identified 45 rings on Lake Baikal (compared with 13 previously known) and also for the first time four rings for the neighbouring Lake Hovsgol (Mongolia). The results of our hydrographic surveys beneath the ice rings in Lake Baikal in 2012-2014 and in Lake Hovsgol in 2015 show the presence of warm double-convex lens-like eddies before and during manifestation of ice rings. We suggest that these eddies are the driving factor for the formation of ice rings in these lakes. We reassess the existing hypotheses of ice ring formation and discuss the potential mechanisms of eddy formation.

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“…Информация о геоэлектрическом разрезе акватории может быть использована в электромагнитном прогнозе землетрясений [Balkhanov, Bashkuev, 2011], а также при анализе физико-химических причин появления кольцевых структур на ледяной поверхности оз. Байкал [Balkhanov et al, 2010;Balkhanov, Bashkuev, 2013].…”

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Geoelectrical Section of the Barguzin Bay of Lake Baikal According to Georadar and Radio Impedance Sounding Data

Башкуев

Хаптанов

Дембелов

2020

Geodin. tektonofiz.

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Electrical resistivity (electrical conductivity) of water and bottom soil of the Barguzin Bay was studied by radio impedance soundings in VLF/LF bands, and the measurements were analysed. The georadar sounding method was used to investigate dielectric permittivity of freshwater ice (dielectric constant is ε=3.4). We developed the technique of radio impedance sounding from the ice surface of Lake Baikal for measuring the electrical resistance of bottom soil in the water area, and applied this technique to a layered model of a medium with a base showing poor/good conductivity. Geoelectric models were constructed for the Barguzin Bay coast and the southern Lake Baikal. The geoelectrical section (GES) of the water area can be useful for earthquake forecasting from electromagnetic data, as well as for analysing the physical and chemical causes of the occurrence of ring structures on the ice surface of Lake Baikal.

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Formation of circular rings on the snow-covered ice field of Lake Baikal

Cited by 10 publications

References 1 publication

Field studies and some results of numerical modeling of a ring structure on Baikal ice

Field studies and some results of numerical modeling of a ring structure on Baikal ice

Giant ice rings on lakes Baikal and Hovsgol: Inventory, associated water structure and potential formation mechanism

Geoelectrical Section of the Barguzin Bay of Lake Baikal According to Georadar and Radio Impedance Sounding Data

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