Sensitivity of Sea Ice Growth to Snow Properties in Opposing Regions of the Weddell Sea in Late Summer

The sensitivity of sea ice to the contrasting seasonal and perennial snow properties in southeastern northwestern Weddell Sea is not yet considered model satellite remote sensing applications. However, analysis physical snowpack late summer recent years reveals a high fraction melt-freeze forms resulting significant higher densities than eastern Sea. lower thermal conductivity snowpack, which only half what has been previously assumed models Sea, reduces bottom growth by 18 cm during winter. In northwest, however, potentially formed thickness 22 at snow/ice interface contributes additional 7 thermodynamic bottom. This study emphasizes enormous impact unappreciated regional differences on growth.