An Investigation of Mineral Dynamics in Sea Ice by Solubility Measurements

Sea ice is a composite material with a sponge-like structure. The framework of the structure is composed of pure ice, and within the pores exists a concentrated seawater brine. When the temperature is reduced, the volume of this residual brine decreases, while its salinity increases. As a result of the paired changes to temperature and salinity, the brine becomes supersaturated with respect to a mineral at several points when cooling sea ice towards -30°C, creating a sequence of minerals that precipitate. The presence of countless microscopic salt crystals encapsulated within the ice, coupled with changes in brine volume associated with their precipitation/dissolution, results in changes to the optical and structural properties of the medium that contribute to the surface energy balance in sea ice environments. Furthermore, attainment of mineral equilibrium can result in abrupt changes in brine composition and osmotic conditions in the isolated brine pockets, imposing challenging conditions upon the biota that habitat the sea ice environment.

Mirabilite (Na₂SO₄.10H₂O), gypsum (CaSO₄.2H₂O) and hydrohalite (NaCl.2H₂O) each represent minerals that are understood to exist within sea ice. Previous research has focused upon mineral extraction/detection, and the specific temperature for the onset of each minerals precipitation in sea ice; rather than the overarching dynamics. For this reason, solubility measurements of mirabilite, gypsum and hydrohalite in conditions representative of equilibrium sea ice brines were carried between 0 and -28°C, covering a range of undersaturated and supersaturated conditions for each mineral. Results provide accurate data for the onset of each minerals formation in sea ice, as well as important information on the way in which precipitation and dissolution reactions are affected when sea ice warms or cools. By incorporating the solubility data into a model that simluates the temperature-salinity profiles of first-year sea ice, the spatial and temporal distrubtion of each mineral throughout periods of ice growth and melt have been estimated for the first time. This information highlights the ubiquitous presence of minerals in the sea ice system, which have remained relatively elusive due to the nature of the complex structure and extreme environment that they exist in.