although the depth , temperature and salinity of the liquid water varies considerably from lake to lake , the thickness of the ice cover is remarkably consistent , ranging from 3.5 to 6 m , which is determined primarily by the balance between conduction of energy out of the ice and the release of latent heat at the ice-water interface and is also affected by the transmission and absorption of sunlight .
C0020746
ice
C0043047
water