Rates and Mechanisms of Iceberg Ablation in the D’Urville Sea, Southern Ocean

Abstract

AB STRA CT . Wave a cti on ca uses a bl a ti on in a narrow zone a round a n ice berg's waterlinc, a t up to 0 .3 m per day, in wa te r of -1°C with wa ves up to 0 .4 m high. Subseque nt subaeri a l ca lving o f ice from ice berg sid es ta kes pl ace up to a simil a r ra le. Subma rin e melting is an ord er of magnitud e slower th a n wave ac ti on but acts over the la rges t pan of an ice berg. Abla ti o n ra tes deri ved th eore ti ca ll y or sta tisti call y e lsewh ere for compa ra bl e en viro nmental conditions, a re in reasona ble agreem e nt with those measured here. Drifting icebe rgs tra il a plume 01" mixed , slightl y cooled a nd diluted sea-wa ter in their wa ke. RESUME. Micanismes et vitesse de l'ablation des icebergs dam la mer Dutnont d' Urville ( Anlarctique