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Frozen Oceans
The Floating World of Pack Ice
David N Thomas
Author
news
Read about David Thomas's latest expedition to the Antarctic
in his online
journal.
About
the book
This is the first book to offer the general reader access to a remote frozen habitat which has for so long fascinated explorers, writers and scientists. During the harsh polar winter the surface of the ocean freezes up, forming a temporary ice layer called pack ice, or sea ice. This gives rise to a spectacular floating world which for a number of months each year becomes home to a wealth of plant and animal life. The wonderful colour photographs of life on, in and under the ice help draw the reader into this superb account of an extreme environment. Guaranteed to capture the imagination.
The author is a veteran of six expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, and this book is packed with photographs taken in the course of his journeys. His lively and readable text conveys his excitement at the dangers and possibilities of life on the ice. He provides an in-depth background to the whole ecosystem of sea ice, its living communities and the structure of the ice itself. The level of accurate scientific detail will satisfy anyone looking for a reliable, up-to-date overview of this topic.
Pack
ice
Pack ice is a layer of frozen seawater on the top of the polar oceans, varying in thickness from a few centimetres to tens of metres. It is an ephemeral feature, not just of polar regions but also of seas such as the Baltic, Caspian and Sea of Okhotsk. At its maximum extent it covers 13% of the Earth's surface area, making it one of the major biomes on the planet.
For many years seen as an obstacle to trade and a threat to human life, the ice itself is now perceived to be vulnerable as we come to realize the dangers posed by global warming. Sea ice not only dominates polar regions but is also central to global ocean circulation as well as global climate patterns. Every year the formation, consolidation and subsequent melt of millions of square kilometres of ice influence the whole of the ocean's ecosystems.
Key features
- First book about this fascinating topic available to the general reader
- Based on author's journeys to polar regions
- Lively, informative text and stunning photographs
About the book
Preface
Author
Chapter 1: What is pack ice?
Chapter 2: What happens when seawater freezes?
Chapter 3: Pack-ice regions of the world
Chapter 4: Life within a block of ice
Chapter 5: Microbiology inside the ice
Chapter 6: Animals in and around the ice
Chapter 7: Life under the ice
Chapter 8: Mammals, birds and the ice
Chapter 9: Studying the pack ice
Chapter 10: Pack ice: threats and potential
Maps
Glossary
Index
Further information and picture credits
Author's acknowledgements
About
the author
David Thomas is a marine
scientist at the University of Wales, Bangor, and has
worked in polar regions since 1991. He has conducted several
expeditions to the Antarctic and the Arctic and carried
out research into the pack ice of the Baltic Sea. He has
written popular science features about sea ice for Science,
BBC Wildlife Magazine and New Scientist,
and is author of Seaweeds
(Natural History Museum, 2002) and the academic edition
An Introduction to Sea Ice (Blackwells Scientific,
2003).
Reviews
"there has never been a good, accessible book about sea ice. Based on many years of personal experience and academic research, Thomas has written a book that fills this gap" BBC Wildlife Magazine ... read more reviews
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Bookshop
US/Canada individuals and trade customers: order from Firefly
Aus/NZ individuals and trade customers: order from CSIRO
UK/rest of world individual customers: order from our Online Bookshop
Specifications
ISBN: 0 565 09188 3
Price: £22.00
Format: Hardback
Size: 195 x 242 mm
Extent: 224 pp
Colour photographs on every page
Published: 21 October 2004
Subject classification: Popular science; natural history; polar studies
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