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We present a computational model of the largescale cumulative light exposure of sea ice in the Southern Ocean off East Antarctica (30
E–150
E). The model uses remotely sensed or modelled sea ice concentration, snow depth over sea ice, and solar irradiance data, and tracks sea ice motion over the season of interest in order to calculate the cumulative exposure of the ice field to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Light is the limiting factor to sea ice algal growth over winter and early spring, and so the results have implications for the estimation of algal biomass in East Antarctica. The model results indicate that highly light-exposed ice is restricted to within a few degrees of the coast in the eastern part of the study region, but extends much further north in the 30
E–100
E sector. The relative influences of sea ice motion, solar flux, and snow depth variations on interannual variations in model predictions were evaluated. The model estimates of cumulative PAR were found to correlate with satellite estimates of subsequent open-water chlorophyll-a concentration, consistent with the notion that sea ice algae can provide inocula for phytoplankton blooms.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Sea ice, Sea ice motion, Photosynthetically active radiation, Sea ice algae, East Antarctica
Research Division:	Environmental Sciences
Research Group:	Ecological Applications
Research Field:	Ecosystem Function
Objective Division:	Environment
Objective Group:	Ecosystem Assessment and Management
Objective Field:	Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Environments
Author:	Raymond, B (Dr Ben Raymond)
Author:	Meiners, K (Dr Klaus Meiners)
Author:	Pasquer, B (Dr Benedicte Pasquer)
Author:	Williams, GD (Associate Professor Guy Williams)
ID Code:	62452
Year Published:	2009
Web of Science® Times Cited:	9
Deposited By:	CRC-Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems
Deposited On:	2010-03-12
Last Modified:	2011-10-11
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