Brine rejection that drains from the newly formed ice is replaced by a weak flow of relatively fresh water, from the liquid region below it. The new water partially freezes within the pores of the ice, increasing the solidity of the ice. As sea ice ages and thickens, the initial salinity of the ice decreases due to the rejection of brine over time [Fig. 2]. While the sea ice ages, desalinization occurs to such a degree that some multiyear ice has a salinity of less than 1 PSU. This occurs in three different ways: Brine rejection occurs in the sea ice packs
Brine rejection crystals in pockets called brine cells. Generally, sea ice has a salinity ranging from 0 psu at the surface to 4 psu at the base. The faster that this freezing process occurs, the more brine cells are left in the ice. Once the ice reaches a critical thickness, roughly 15 cm, the concentration of salt ions in the liquid around the ice begins to increase, as leftover brine is rejected from the cells. This increase is associated with the appearance of strong convective plumes, which flow from channels and within the ice and carry a significant salt flux. The brine