Observations of the growth and decay processes of fast ice around Zhongshan Station in Antarctica

The growth and decay processes of fast ice around Zhongshan Station in Antarctica were observed for two ice seasons of 2005 and 2006.Daily variations in the ice growth rate and its seasonal dependence are analyzed using in situ data.Although,cumulative freezing degree days during ice growth season of 2005 was larger than that of 2006,as the thicker snow cover,the ice growth rate and the maximum ice thickness of the former ice season were sm aller than those of the later one.The daily variation in the ice growth rate was evident during the periods before and after the polar night, but not for the polar night period.There was not any significant trend for both sea ice thickness and snow thickness with in the area 16 km north of Zhongshan Station vs.the distance to shore.The occurrences of ice ridge and iceberg,however,have crucial influences on local thickness distribution both for sea ice and snow.