Frozen Oceans: The Floating World of Pack-Ice

by David N. Thomas

Discover and explore worlds containing unexpected life. As some scientists search for life on the frozen planet of Mars, others are discovering life in unexpected places here on Earth. Frozen Oceans follows the expeditions of polar scientists in the Arctic and Antarctic as they investigate the life found in and around the ice caps, which cover up to 13 percent of the Earth's surface. Every year during the harsh polar winter, the surface of the ocean freezes, forming a temporary ice layer called pack ice, or sea ice. The Antarctic is the site of the greatest seasonal event on Earth. In March, the air temperatures drop to as low as -40°F, the ocean, which turns to ice at 28.7°F, starts freezing at the incredible average rate of 2.22 square miles per minute! This is the first book to explain in non-technical terms and show with color photography the abundance of life on, in and under the ice. Topics Scientists are continually being surprised by the abundance of life where no life was expected. For many years, ice was seen as an obstacle to exploration and a threat to life. The ice is now perceived as central to global ocean circulation as well as global climate patterns. Frozen Oceans is a must for anyone with an interest in the polar regions, marine biology and the Earth's environment.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: David N. Thomas


David Thomas is based at the University of Helsinki where he is the Professor of Arctic Ecosystem Research in the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences.

Previously (1996 to 2020) he was at Bangor University where from 2006 he held the Chair of Marine Biology in the School of Ocean Sciences in Menai Bridge.

He studied and did his PhD in Liverpool University where he studied seaweed physiology, before spending 7 years in Germany working on oceanographic projects in the Antarctic, Arctic and Red Sea.

After returning to the UK in 1996 he established a groups working on sea ice biogeochemistry, land-ocean interactions, and the production of biofuels from algal bioreactors.

From 2009 to 2013 he held an Academy of Finland Distinguished Professorship at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE). In 2013 he also held a Chair in Arctic Marine Biology at Aarhus University, Denmark.

He takes pride in conveying his science to non-specialist audiences, both in talks but also writing textbooks and books for non-academic audiences. Over the years, he has become increasingly interested in the connections between observational biology and art and design.

Reviews

[Padma Venkatraman]

A well-written, engaging exploration of our current knowledge on sea ice - physical chemistry, geology, and of course, biology. I was pleased to see that the author acknowledged the wealth and depth of accurate and detailed information accumulated by indigenous communities.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This obviously isn't for everyone. But if you're an eco nerd like me, you'll appreciate it. Fascinating information and a helpful resource to have around for those that need it or are just interested in the subject of polar ecology. Each chapter is written and organized well, and the subject matter within each builds on the chapter before. By the end, I was impressed at how well everything fit so nicely into the circle of life within such a stark landscape.