A brinicle (brine icicle, also known as ice stalactite) forms beneath sea ice when a flow of extremely cold, saline water is introduced to an area of ocean water, being the undersea equivalent of a hollow stalactite or icicle.
Known since the 1960s, the generally accepted model of their formation was proposed by the US oceanographer Seelye Martin in 1974. The formation of a brinicle was first filmed in 2011 by producer Kathryn Jeffs and cameramen Hugh Miller and Doug Anderson for the BBC series Frozen Planet.
At the time of its creation, a brinicle resembles a pipe of ice reaching down from the underside of a layer of sea ice. Inside the pipe is the supercold, supersaline water being produced by the growth of the sea ice above, accumulated through brine channels.
A brinicle can, under the proper conditions, reach down to the seafloor. To do so, the flow of supercold brine from the ice pack overhead must continue, the surrounding water must be significantly less saline than the brine, the water cannot be very deep, the overhead sea icepack must be still, and currents in the area must be minimal or still.
Under the right conditions, including favorable ocean floor topography, a brine pool may be created. However, unlike brine pools created by cold seeps, brinicle brine pools are likely to be very transient as the brine supply will eventually cease.
On reaching the seafloor, it will continue to accumulate ice as surrounding water freezes. The brine will travel along the seafloor in a down-slope direction until it reaches the lowest possible point, where it will pool. Any bottom-dwelling sea creatures, such as starfish or sea urchins can be caught in this expanding web of ice and be trapped, ultimately freezing to death.
You can see video about the brinicle : http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WyWn1XJ9kTE
1. 1. Brine
icicle, also known as …….
a.
Ice stalagmite
b. Ice stalactite
c.
Saline water
d.
Pipe of water
e.
Pipe of ice
2. 2. What
can be caught and trapped in this expanding web of ice?
a.
Fish
b.
Corals
c. Starfish
d.
Sponge
e.
Crabs
3. 3. Where
will be the brine travel along?
a. The seafloor in a down-slope direction
until it reaches the lowest possible point
b.
Middle of the sea water
c.
The upper of the sea water
d.
At the seafloor
e.
Inside the seafloor
4. 4. Brine
pool created by…..
a.
Saline water
b. Cold seeps
c.
Ice pack
d.
Water
e.
Animal
5. 5. The
brinicle formation was proposed by Seelye Martin in…..
a.
2011
b.
1984
c. 1974
d.
2013
e.
1990
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