The circulation in Lake Vostok: An analog study
Abstract
Large sub-glacial lakes exist Antarctica and their biological habitability will depend on the circulation arising from the buoyancy forcing due to geothermal heating and/or from phase changes at the base of the ice sheet. Our laboratory analog experiment consists of an insulated cavity that can be heated and cooled at the boundaries. Through a systematic variation of the bathymetry we find that when a large fraction of the total lake area is relatively shallow, a strongly stratified overturning circulation develops. The length scales are such that the effects of the Coriolis force are expected to be significant. We will present results of the combined effects of rotation and bathymetry on the model circulation, and discuss the estimated circulation timescales and stratification this implies for Lake Vostok.
- Publication:
-
APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- November 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003APS..DFD.EN003S