Interannual variability of circulation under spring ice in a boreal lake

A small range (, 1uC) of under-ice water temperature is shown to result in remarkably different circulation regimes under spring ice in a deep, oligotrophic boreal lake. With the water column at , 4uC, melting of snow led to deepening vertical convection before ice break and a final depth of convection inversely correlated with earlier deep-water temperature. We attribute that to the nonlinear dependence of water density on temperature, albeit further affected by stochastic weather factors. In four of nine study years, convection led to complete under-ice overturn of the lake, indicating that this may not be uncommon in similar lakes with steep topography. River inflow and more intensive wa…