A Mathematical Model of Microbially-Induced Convection in Sea Ice*

Sea ice is an interestingly complicated material consisting of a mixture of solid ice and liquid phases which are coupled by thermodynamic considerations. It also is a platform for microbial life, lots of it in fact, that uses the ice as a sort of shelter though eventually becoming part of the local food chain. A model will be suggested that hypothesizes how, in turn, the resident microbial population might, via influence on brine osmolarity, impact sea ice properties in order to induce internal convective flow. Supporting freezing point measurements will also be presented.