Basal melt heat flux
= Basal melt heat flux
{title2=$\overline F_{\rm melt}=\rho_iL_f\Delta h/\Delta t$}
Melting a basal ice thickness $\Delta h$ consumes energy $\rho_iL_f\Delta h$ per unit area, ignoring sensible warming and salinity corrections. The corresponding time-averaged <heat flux> is this energy divided by $\Delta t$. The actual <ocean heat flux> also includes heat conducted into the ice.
// Target: geophysics.bigb