Professor Pat Langhorne, Our people, Department of Physics

Emeritus Professor

Photo of Professor Pat Langhorne.

Locations: Lab 412
Room 519
Phone numbers: 7677 (Office)
64 3 479 7677 (Office Direct Dial)
5475 (Lab)
Email: pat.langhorne@otago.ac.nz
Research Group: http://www.physics.otago.ac.nz/research/ice/

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Biography

I have been fascinated by the polar regions since my teenage years. After undergraduate physics at the University of Aberdeen (in Scotland) I completed a PhD on sea ice at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, England. In 1985 I was invited to take part in an Antarctic experiment which brought me to New Zealand for the first time, and since 1988 I have been teaching physics and researching sea ice physical processes at the University of Otago. Working with post-graduate students and with national and international collaborators, I have taken part in about twenty research visits to Antarctica .

Ice-ocean interaction

The coastal sea ice of Antarctica is significantly influenced by proximity to an ice shelf. Due to melting in the ice shelf basal cavity, very cold water emerges from at its edge. Ice crystals can appear in the water column, attach themselves to the ice-water interface, and grow in the extremely cold water there. This ice preserves a record of the oceanographic conditions at the time of its formation during the Antarctic winter. The challenge of interpreting this ocean signature, and understanding its relation to the properties of the sea ice cover, is an interest of our group. We use our understanding to create models of the crystallography and physical properties that result from this process.

Recently, airborne sea ice thickness measurement and satellite remote sensing have greatly expanded the area over which we can understand these processes.

Find out more about my research

Publications

Langhorne, P. J., Haas, C., Price, D., Rack, W., Leonard, G. H., Brett, G. M., & Urbini, S. (2023). Fast ice thickness distribution in the Western Ross Sea in late spring. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 128, e2022JC019459. doi: 10.1029/2022JC019459 Journal - Research Article

Fraser, A. D., Wongpan, P., Langhorne, P. J., Klekociuk, A. R., Kusahara, K., Lannuzel, D., … Leonard, G. H., Mahoney, A. R., … Wienecke, B. (2023). Antarctic landfast sea ice: A review of its physics, biogeochemistry and ecology. Reviews of Geophysics, 61, e2022RG000770. doi: 10.1029/2022RG000770 Journal - Research Article

Brett, G. M., Leonard, G. H., Rack, W., Haas, C., Langhorne, P. J., Robinson, N. J., & Irvin, A. (2024). Seasonal and diurnal variability of sub-ice platelet layer thickness in McMurdo Sound from electromagnetic induction sounding. Cryosphere, 18, 3049-3066. doi: 10.5194/tc-18-3049-2024 Journal - Research Article

Wongpan, P., Vancoppenolle, M., Langhorne, P. J., Smith, I. J., Madec, G., Gough, A. J., … Haskell, T. G. (2021). Sub‐ice platelet layer physics: Insights from a mushy‐layer sea ice model. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126(6), e2019JC015918. doi: 10.1029/2019JC015918 Journal - Research Article

Rack, W., Price, D., Haas, C., Langhorne, P. J., & Leonard, G. H. (2021). Sea ice thickness in the Western Ross Sea. Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2020GL090866. doi: 10.1029/2020GL090866 Journal - Research Article

Haas, C., Langhorne, P. J., Rack, W., Leonard, G. H., Brett, G. M., Price, D., … Gough, A. J. (2021). Airborne mapping of the sub-ice platelet layer under fast ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Cryosphere, 15, 247-264. doi: 10.5194/tc-15-247-2021 Journal - Research Article

Richter, M. E., Smith, I. J., Everts, J. R., Russell, P., Langhorne, P. J., & Leonard, G. H. (2023). The effect of pseudofrazil particle entrainment on salinity measurements. Earth & Space Science, 10, e2022EA002564. doi: 10.1029/2022EA002564 Journal - Research Article

Richter, M. E., Leonard, G. H., Smith, I. J., Langhorne, P. J., Mahoney, A. R., & Parry, M. (2023). Accuracy and precision when deriving sea-ice thickness from thermistor strings: A comparison of methods. Journal of Glaciology, 69(276), 879-898. doi: 10.1017/jog.2022.108 Journal - Research Article

Brett, G. M., Price, D., Rack, W., & Langhorne, P. J. (2021). Satellite altimetry detection of ice-shelf-influenced fast ice. Cryosphere, 15, 4099-4115. doi: 10.5194/tc-15-4099-2021 Journal - Research Article

Hoppmann, M., Richter, M. E., Smith, I. J., Jendersie, S., Langhorne, P. J., Thomas, D. N., & Dieckmann, G. S. (2020). Platelet ice, the Southern Ocean's hidden ice: A review. Annals of Glaciology, 62, 82. doi: 10.1017/ aog.2020.54 Journal - Research Other

Frazer, E. K., Langhorne, P. J., Leonard, G. H., Robinson, N. J., & Schumayer, D. (2020). Observations of the size distribution of frazil ice in an Ice Shelf Water plume. Geophysical Research Letters, 47(e2020GL090498). doi: 10.1029/2020GL090498 Journal - Research Article

Mackie, S., Langhorne, P. J., Heorton, H. D. B. S., Smith, I. J., Feltham, D. L., & Schroeder, D. (2020). Sea ice formation in a coupled climate model including grease ice. Journal of Advances in Modelling Earth Systems, 12, e2020MS002103. doi: 10.1029/2020MS002103 Journal - Research Article

Brett, G. M., Irvin, A., Rack, W., Haas, C., Langhorne, P. J., & Leonard, G. H. (2020). Variability in the distribution of fast ice and the sub-ice platelet layer near McMurdo ice shelf. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 125(3), e2019JC015678. doi: 10.1029/2019JC015678 Journal - Research Article

Kungl, A. F., Schumayer, D., Frazer, E. K., Langhorne, P. J., & Leonard, G. H. (2020). An oblate spheroidal model for multi-frequency acoustic back-scattering of frazil ice. Cold Regions Science & Technology, 177, 103122. doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2020.103122 Journal - Research Article

Malyarenko, A., Wells, A. J., Langhorne, P. J., Robinson, N. J., Williams, M. J. M., & Nicholls, K. W. (2020). A synthesis of thermodynamic ablation at ice-ocean interfaces from theory, observations and models. Ocean Modelling, 154, 101692. doi: 10.1016/j.ocemod.2020.101692 Journal - Research Other

Mackie, S., Smith, I. J., Ridley, J. K., Stevens, D. P., & Langhorne, P. J. (2020). Climate response to increasing Antarctic iceberg and ice shelf melt. Journal of Climate, 33(20), 8917-8938. doi: 10.1175/jcli-d-19-0881.1 Journal - Research Article

Mackie, S., Smith, I. J., Stevens, D. P., Ridley, J. K., & Langhorne, P. J. (2020). Interactions between increasing CO₂ and antarctic melt rates. Journal of Climate, 33(20), 8939-8956. doi: 10.1175/jcli-d-19-0882.1 Journal - Research Article

Langhorne, P. J., Hughes, K. G., Gough, A. J., Smith, I. J., Williams, M. J. M., Robinson, N. J., … Leonard, G. H., … Haskell, T. G. (2015). Observed platelet ice distributions in Antarctic sea ice: An index for ocean-ice shelf heat flux. Geophysical Research Letters, 42(13), 5442-5451. doi: 10.1002/2015GL064508 Journal - Research Article

Malyarenko, A., Robinson, N. J., Williams, M. J. M., & Langhorne, P. J. (2019). A wedge mechanism for summer surface water inflow into the Ross Ice Shelf cavity. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 124, 1196-1214. doi: 10.1029/2018JC014594 Journal - Research Article

Jendersie, S., Williams, M. J. M., Langhorne, P. J., & Robertson, R. (2018). The density-driven winter intensification of the Ross Sea Circulation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 123, 7702-7724. doi: 10.1029/2018JC013965 Journal - Research Article

Wongpan, P., Meiners, K. M., Langhorne, P. J., Heil, P., Smith, I. J., Leonard, G. H., … Haskell, T. G. (2018). Estimation of Antarctic land-fast sea ice algal biomass and snow thickness From under-ice radiance spectra in two contrasting areas. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 123(3), 1907-1923. doi: 10.1002/2017JC013711 Journal - Research Article

Wongpan, P., Hughes, K. G., Langhorne, P. J., & Smith, I. J. (2018). Brine convection, temperature fluctuations, and permeability in winter Antarctic land‐fast sea ice. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 123(1), 216-230. doi: 10.1002/2017JC012999 Journal - Research Article

Pauling, A. G., Smith, I. J., Langhorne, P. J., & Bitz, C. M. (2017). Time-dependent freshwater input from ice shelves: Impacts on Antarctic sea ice and the Southern Ocean in an Earth System Model. Geophysical Research Letters, 44(20), 10454-10461. doi: 10.1002/2017GL075017 Journal - Research Article

Pauling, A. G., Bitz, C. M., Smith, I. J., & Langhorne, P. J. (2016). The response of the Southern Ocean and Antarctic sea ice to fresh water from ice shelves in an earth system model. Journal of Climate, 29, 1655-1672. doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0501.1 Journal - Research Article

Wongpan, P., Langhorne, P. J., Dempsey, D. E., Hahn-Woernle, L., & Sun, Z. (2015). Simulation of the crystal growth of platelet sea ice with diffusive heat and mass transfer. Annals of Glaciology, 56(69), 127-136. doi: 10.3189/2015AoG69A777 Journal - Research Article

Smith, I. J., Gough, A. J., Langhorne, P. J., Mahoney, A. R., Leonard, G. H., Van Hale, R., Jendersie, S., & Haskell, T. G. (2015). First-year land-fast Antarctic sea ice as an archive of ice shelf meltwater fluxes. Cold Regions Science & Technology, 113, 63-70. doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2015.01.007 Journal - Research Article

Price, D., Beckers, J., Ricker, R., Kurtz, N., Rack, W., Haas, C., … Leonard, G., & Langhorne, P. J. (2015). Evaluation of CryoSat-2 derived sea-ice freeboard over fast ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Journal of Glaciology, 61(226), 285-300. doi: 10.3189/2015JoG14J157 Journal - Research Article

Hughes, K. G., Langhorne, P. J., Leonard, G. H., & Stevens, C. L. (2014). Extension of an Ice Shelf Water plume model beneath sea ice with application in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 119(12), 8662-8687. doi: 10.1002/2013JC009411 Journal - Research Article

Price, D., Rack, W., Langhorne, P. J., Haas, C., Leonard, G., & Barnsdale, K. (2014). The sub-ice platelet layer and its influence on freeboard to thickness conversion of Antarctic sea ice. Cryosphere, 8, 1031-1039. doi: 10.5194/tc-8-1031-2014 Journal - Research Article

Robinson, N. J., Williams, M. J. M., Stevens, C. L., Langhorne, P. J., & Haskell, T. G. (2014). Evolution of a supercooled Ice Shelf Water plume with an actively growing subice platelet matrix. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 119(6), 3425-3446. doi: 10.1002/2013JC009399 Journal - Research Article

Rack, W., Haas, C., & Langhorne, P. J. (2013). Airborne thickness and freeboard measurements over the McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica, and implications for ice density. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 118(11), 5899-5907. doi: 10.1002/2013JC009084 Journal - Research Article

Price, D., Rack, W., Haas, C., Langhorne, P. J., & Marsh, O. (2013). Sea ice freeboard in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, derived by surface-validated ICESat laser altimeter data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 118(7), 3634-3650. doi: 10.1002/jgrc.20266 Journal - Research Article

Gough, A. J., Mahoney, A. R., Langhorne, P. J., & Haskell, T. G. (2013). Salinity evolution and mechanical properties of snow-loaded multiyear sea ice near an ice shelf. Antarctic Science, 25(6), 821-831. doi: 10.1017/S0954102013000217 Journal - Research Article

de Jong, J., Schoemann, V., Maricq, N., Mattielli, N., Langhorne, P., Haskell, T., & Tison, J.-L. (2013). Iron in land-fast sea ice of McMurdo Sound derived from sediment resuspension and wind-blown dust attributes to primary productivity in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Marine Chemistry, 157, 24-40. doi: 10.1016/j.marchem.2013.07.001 Journal - Research Article

Hughes, K. G., Langhorne, P. J., & Williams, M. J. M. (2013). Estimates of the refreezing rate in an ice-shelf borehole. Journal of Glaciology, 59(217), 938-948. doi: 10.3189/2013JoG12J117 Journal - Research Article

Toyota, T., Smith, I. J., Gough, A. J., Langhorne, P. J., Leonard, G. H., Van Hale, R. J., Mahoney, A. R., & Haskell, T. G. (2013). Oxygen isotope fractionation during the freezing of sea water. Journal of Glaciology, 59(216), 697-710. doi: 10.3189/2013JoG12J163 Journal - Research Article

Gough, A. J., Mahoney, A. R., Langhorne, P. J., Williams, M. J. M., & Haskell, T. G. (2012). Sea ice salinity and structure: A winter time series of salinity and its distribution. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117, C03008. doi: 10.1029/2011jc007527 Journal - Research Article

Gough, A. J., Mahoney, A. R., Langhorne, P. J., Williams, M. J. M., Robinson, N. J., & Haskell, T. G. (2012). Signatures of supercooling: McMurdo Sound platelet ice. Journal of Glaciology, 58(207), 38-50. doi: 10.3189/2012JoG10J218 Journal - Research Article

Dempsey, D. E., & Langhorne, P. J. (2012). Geometric properties of platelet ice crystals. Cold Regions Science & Technology, 78, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2012.03.002 Journal - Research Article

Smith, I. J., Langhorne, P. J., Frew, R. D., Vennell, R., & Haskell, T. G. (2012). Sea ice growth rates near ice shelves. Cold Regions Science & Technology, 83-84, 57-70. doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2012.06.005 Journal - Research Article

Jones, K. A., Gough, A. J., Ingham, M., Mahoney, A. R., Langhorne, P. J., & Haskell, T. G. (2012). Detection of differences in sea ice crystal structure using cross-borehole DC resistivity tomography. Cold Regions Science & Technology, 78, 40-45. doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2012.01.013 Journal - Research Article

Mahoney, A. R., Gough, A. J., Langhorne, P. J., Robinson, N. J., Stevens, C. L., Williams, M. M. J., & Haskell, T. G. (2011). The seasonal appearance of ice shelf water in coastal Antarctica and its effect on sea ice growth. Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, C11032. doi: 10.1029/2011jc007060 Journal - Research Article

Leonard, G. H., Langhorne, P. J., Williams, M. J. M., Vennell, R., Purdie, C. R., Dempsey, D. E., … Frew, R. D. (2011). Evolution of supercooling under coastal Antarctic sea ice during winter. Antarctic Science, 23(4), 399-409. doi: 10.1017/s0954102011000265 Journal - Research Article

Dempsey, D. E., Langhorne, P. J., Robinson, N. J., Williams, M. J. M., Haskell, T. G., & Frew, R. D. (2010). Observation and modeling of platelet ice fabric in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research, 115, C01007. doi: 10.1029/2008jc005264 Journal - Research Article

Petrich, C., Langhorne, P. J., & Haskell, T. G. (2007). Formation and structure of refrozen cracks in land-fast first-year sea ice. Journal of Geophysical Research, 112, C04006. doi: 10.1029/2006JC003466 Journal - Research Article

Leonard, G. H., Purdie, C. R., Langhorne, P. J., Haskell, T. G., Williams, M. J. M., & Frew, R. D. (2006). Observations of platelet ice growth and oceanographic conditions during the winter of 2003 in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research, 111, C04012. doi: 10.1029/2005JC002952 Journal - Research Article

Petrich, C., Langhorne, P. J., & Sun, Z. F. (2006). Modelling the interrelationships between permeability, effective porosity and total porosity in sea ice. Cold Regions Science & Technology, 44(2), 131-144. Journal - Research Article

Purdie, C. R., Langhorne, P. J., Leonard, G. H., & Haskell, T. G. (2006). Growth of first-year landfast Antarctic sea ice determined from winter temperature measurements. Annals of Glaciology, 44, 170-176. Journal - Research Article

Albrecht, N., Vennell, R., Williams, M., Stevens, C., Langhorne, P., Leonard, G., & Haskell, T. (2006). Observation of sub-inertial internal tides in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters, 33, L24606. doi: 10.1029/2006GL027377 Journal - Research Article

Langhorne, P. J., Squire, V., Fox, C., & Haskell, T. (2001). Lifetime estimation for a land-fast ice sheet subjected to ocean swell. Annals of Glaciology, 33, 333-338. Journal - Research Article

Trodahl, H. J., McGuiness, M., Langhorne, P. J., Collins, K., Pantoja, A. E., Smith, I. J., & Haskell, T. (2000). Heat transport in McMurdo Sound first year fast ice. Journal of Geophysical Research, 105, 11,347-11,358. Journal - Research Article

Langhorne, P. J., Squire, V., Fox, C., & Haskell, T. (1998). Breakup of sea ice by ocean waves. Annals of Glaciology, 27, 438-442. Journal - Research Article

Squire, V. A., Hosking, R. J., Kerr, A. D., & Langhorne, P. J. (1996). Moving Loads on Ice Plates. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer, 230p. Authored Book - Research

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Biography

Ice-ocean interaction

Publications