Sea ice and supercooled water

Abstract

The existence of supercooled water below growing sea ice has been postulated in the past to explain anomalous temperature and salinity values in the water column. In addition supercooling has been invoked to explain ice-crystal production in the water that is tens of meters below the ice sheet and on the sea bed near the shore. From a study of the literature and the laboratory experiments we conclude that the postulate is unnecessary and that supercooling of the water mass, if it exists at all, is transitory.