The planned research will also examine the crucial role of "clandestine ice", which is formed under the existing sea ice by supercooled water flowing from nearby ice shelves.
The presence of salt in sea water means that sea ice starts forming in the Antarctic about minus 1.9degC, scientists say.
Although the "supercooled" water is only a few hundredths of a degree cooler than other water, it is believed to play an key role in triggering ice formation.
Otago University physicist Associate Prof Pat Langhorne, one of several senior scientists leading the research, said "supercooled" water was believed to contribute at least 20% of the depth of sea ice.
Scientists from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Industrial Research Ltd, which is another Crown Research Institute, and Victoria University of Wellington are also involved in the collaborative project.
A team of scientists from Otago University and NIWA recently flew to the Antarctic on Antarctica New Zealand's first post-winter flight.
Some researchers have since returned and others are spending six weeks on the ice undergoing training.
They are also setting up a pilot study, for an eight-month research project which starts next February and will run over winter until October next year.
Another research leader, NIWA marine physicist Dr Mike Williams, said that better understanding sea ice formation and better estimating its depth were important in helping to analyse climate change, which was "probably one of the biggest challenges facing mankind".
"The more we know about places like Antarctica - which have the potential to be hugely important in climate change - the better," he said.
Dr Williams, who returned from the Antarctic last week, said sea ice was a critical part of the Southern Hemisphere climate.
And studies predicted there would be a 34% decrease in annual mean sea ice volume in the Southern Ocean in the next century, he noted.
Determining the depth of Antarctic sea ice was "perhaps the most important problem in Antarctic science".
Estimates have been made by using observations from satellites but doubts have been raised about their accuracy.
Dr Williams said the latest research work was going well, with good progress in establishing ice sampling sites in McMurdo Sound.
Oceanographic data, such as on ocean currents, temperature, and salinity, would be recorded by instruments installed underwater in the northeast of the sound.
The Antarctic study is supported by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
