A comprehensive dataset for the thermal conductivity of ice Ih for application to planetary ice shells

Natalie S Wolfenbarger; Evan Carnahan; Jacob S Jordan; Marc A Hesse

doi:10.1016/j.dib.2021.107079

A comprehensive dataset for the thermal conductivity of ice Ih for application to planetary ice shells

Data Brief. 2021 Apr 22:36:107079. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107079. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Authors

Natalie S Wolfenbarger^{1

2}, Evan Carnahan^{1

2

3}, Jacob S Jordan⁴, Marc A Hesse^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Geological Studies, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2305 Speedway, C1160, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
² Institute for Geophysics, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Rd, Bldg. 196, Austin, TX 78758, USA.
³ Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 201 E. 24th Street, C0200, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
⁴ Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University, 6100 Main St, Ms-126, Houston, TX 77005, USA.

Abstract

Contemporary models representing the thermal conductivity of ice Ih as a function of temperature are based on data from published experiments that span over a century. Each model is derived using specific datasets with distinct experimental setups, temperature ranges, and uncertainties. Model errors introduced by inaccurate digitization and biased datapoints are challenging to trace due to a lack of transparency of the primary data. This dataset is a collection of published thermal conductivity data for ice Ih, including both tabulated and digitized data, presented in the original units. Specific samples or pressure conditions are noted where applicable. The dataset also includes a survey of published thermal conductivity models, providing the valid temperature range, accuracy and uncertainty (where noted in the original publication), and the primary data sources. Importantly, the dataset includes notes that were contained in the original publication or subsequent publications that provide additional context for the data. This dataset is used to derive a new thermal conductivity model which best represents the thermal conductivity of ice Ih for temperatures greater than 30 K. Statistics are provided to evaluate the fit of each thermal conductivity model in the survey of published models to the comprehensive dataset presented here. This dataset is constructed in support of the work "New insights into temperature-dependent ice properties and their effect on ice shell convection for icy ocean worlds" [1].

Keywords: Ice Ih, thermal conductivity; Ice shell; Ice thermal conductivity model; Ice thermophysical properties; Temperature dependence of thermal conductivity of ice; Thermal conductivity of ice; Uncertainty in ice thermal conductivity.