Old ice which has survived only one summer’s melt and is typically up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) and sometimes more in thickness. Because it is thicker and less dense than first-year ice, it stands higher out of the water. In contrast to multi-year ice, summer melting produces a regular pattern of numerous small puddles. Bare patches and puddles are usually greenish-blue. Summer melting has somewhat smoothed and rounded the hummocks, while accentuation of minor relief by differential melting may have caused others to develop. The regular pattern of puddles produced during the melt season is only a feature of Arctic se ice. Melt water does not usually accumulate on the surface of Antarctic sea ice. Second-year ice is the most common form of old ice present in Antarctica
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