furthermore, sea ice affects the movement of ocean waters. in the freezing process, much of the salt in ocean water is squeezed out of the frozen crystal formations, though some remains frozen in the ice. this salt becomes trapped beneath the sea ice, creating a higher concentration of salt in the water beneath ice floes. this concentration of salt contributes to the salinated water's density, and this cold, denser water sinks to the bottom of the ocean. this cold water moves along the ocean floor towards the equator, while warmer water on the ocean surface moves in the direction of the poles. this is referred to as "conveyor belt motion", and is a regularly occurring process.