Chapter 2. From the Microscopic, to the Macroscopic, to the Regional Scale: Growth, Microstructure and Properties of Sea Ice

Motivation and context The scope and individual chapters of this book provide an indication of the importance of sea ice over a wide range of scales in time and space. Considering the degree to which the ice cover is intertwined with other phenomena and processes, this brief introduction and overview can only skim the surface and cover selected aspects but not do justice to the subject matter as a whole. For more complete and rigorous treatises of the growth, structure and properties of sea ice, readers are referred in particular to the overview articles by Weeks and Ackley [1986], Weeks [1998] and Wettlaufer [1999] in the comprehensive monograph by Lepparanta [1998]. The same monograph also includes a highly relevant chapter on the optical properties of sea ice by Perovich [1998]. Aspects of sea-ice characteristics relevant for microwave remote sensing are covered by Tucker et al. [1992] and Hallikainen and Winebrenner [1992] as well as the paper by Golden et al. [1998b] introducing a series of studies of sea-ice electromagnetic properties. While Maykut [1986] provides a thorough treatment of ice growth and properties in the context of the sea-ice energy and mass balance, Steele and Flato [2000] extend this to include a detailed discussion of ice growth models. A useful summary and review of sea-ice physical property data sets and measurements has been provided by Yen et al.[1991]. Articles by Reimnitz et al. [1992] and Pfirman et al. [1990] provide further insight into the importance of sea ice as a geologic agent. The topic of sea-ice ecology is well covered in several chapters in this book.