Recently we reported anomalous dissolved neon-helium ratios in the Arctic Ocean and suggested that the neon supersaturation is caused by the freezing process. We also predicted supersaturation of dissolved gases such as oxygen, which are heavier than neon. To pursue the tracer potential of these gases, we recently collected more seawater samples for the measurements of the noble gases, made dissolved oxygen measurements, and performed a set of laboratory freezing experiments. Here, we report the results of dissolved oxygen measurements made during the laboratory freezing experiments, and during the MIZEX 84 field program. In the laboratory we found that 1cm of ice growth caused approximately 0.5% dissolved oxygen supersaturation in a 90cm deep water column. Conversely, the ice phase was 53¿2% undersaturated in dissolved oxygen, a result which is, within experimental uncertainties, identical to that obtained in the field. |