To improve the understanding of the seasonal evolution of the mass and heat budget of ice-covered lakes in the cold and arid climate zone, in-situ observations were collected during two winters (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) in Lake Wuliangsuhai, Inner Mongolia, China. The mean snow thickness was 5.2 and 1.6 cm in these winters, due to low winter precipitation. The mean ice thickness was 50.9 and 36.1 cm, and the ice growth rate was 3.6 and 2.1 mm day⁻¹ at the lower boundary of ice. Analyses of mass and heat balance data from two winters revealed that the surface heat budget was governed by solar radiation and terrestrial radiation. The net heat flux loss of the ice was 9–22 W m⁻², affected by the snow and ice thickness. Compared to boreal lakes, Lake Wuliangsuhai received more solar radiation and heat flux from the water. The ice temperature had a strong diurnal variation, which was produced by the diurnal cycles of solar radiation, and air and water temperatures. These results expand our knowledge of the evolution of mass and heat balance in temperate lakes of mid-latitude arid areas.

Spectral albedo and light transmittance through snow, ice, and water were measured in Lake Wuliangsuhai (40°36′–41°30′N, 108°43′–108°70′E), Inner Mongolia, China, during winter 2016. Data on the weather, structure of lake ice, and geochemistry of water were also collected during the 60-day field program. The study lake is shallow (mean depth 1.0–1.5 m) with a large wetland area. Compared with polar lakes, solar elevation is higher, snow accumulation is much lower, and the ice has more sediment. The ice was all congelation ice with a mean thickness of 36.6 cm, corresponding to a mean air temperature of −9.6 °C. The mean daily broadband albedo and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) band transmittance were 0.54 and 0.08 (bare ice), 0.74 and 0.04 (new snow), and 0.30 and 0.12 (melting period), respectively. The level of light allowed photosynthesis to occur to the bottom of the lake. The ice acted as a grey filter for the sunlight with a mean attenuation coefficient of 2.1 m⁻¹. These results expand our knowledge of the evolution of light transfer through ice and snow cover and its role in the ecology of lakes in temperate and arid areas.

Sea ice conditions and navigability along four typical routes of the Northeast Passage (NEP) are analysed using remote-sensing data from 1979 to 2019. The influence of air temperature (T _air) and surface wind on the sea ice concentration (SIC) and the navigability of routes is determined. It is found that the annually averaged SICs of the different routes have decreased over the past 41 years. The fastest rate of decrease occurred in the Kara Sea (∼−1% per year), while the slowest rates of decrease occurred in the Laptev/East Siberian Sea (∼−0.42% per year). The number of navigable days for the Kara Sea has become ∼1–2 months longer than the Laptev/East Siberian Sea route as a result. The effect of T _air on SIC, quantified by ΔSIC/ΔT _air in the routes through the eastern Kara Sea and Laptev/East Siberian Sea in 2010s was ∼−0.04/°C, two to three times that seen during the 1980s. Air temperature is becoming a significant driving force of melting ice in these routes. Surface winds are also a crucial factor for the navigability of the Vilkitsky Strait and Long Strait, as they drive ice drift, and affect the navigability of the Kara Strait by introducing warm air.

The kinetic coefficient of friction μ_k was measured for sea ice, stainless steel, and coated steel sliding on a natural sea ice cover. The effects of normal stress (3.10–8.11 kPa), ice columnar grain orientation (vertical and parallel to the sliding direction), sliding velocity (0.02–2.97 m·s^–1), and contact material were investigated. Air temperature was higher than −5.0 °C for the test duration. The results showed a decline of μ_k with increasing normal stress with μ_k independent of ice grain orientation. The μ_k of different materials varied, partly due to distinct surface roughnesses, but all cases showed a similar increasing trend with increasing velocity because of the viscous resistance of melt-water film. The velocity dependence of μ_k was quantified using the rate- and state- dependent model, and μ_k was found to increase logarithmically with increasing velocity. In addition, μ_k obtained at higher air temperatures was greater than at lower temperatures. The stick-slip phenomenon was observed at a relatively high velocity compared with previous studies, which was partly due to the low-stiffness device used in the field. Based on the experimental data, the calculation of physical models can be compared.