Preliminary Study of Ice Production Rate in a Wave Field

Clarkson University, Potsdam NY

Investigators

Abstract

A major knowledge gap in the general study of sea ice is the variety of sea ice formation processes in the polar ocean environment. In reaction to thermal and mechanical forces, natural sea ice forms in various shapes and volumes, and with differing physical and chemical properties. In turn, sea ice also alters these forces to self-regulate its growth in a complex feedback process. In view of the role played by sea ice in affecting the ocean circulation, and the interplay of ocean circulation and environmental change, a better understanding of ice production mechanisms is needed. This study will be based on research developed in the engineering field, where a large body of mechanistically driven studies exist, and where details of the turbulence structure and related heat and mass transfer have been determined. Most of these results have not been considered in a sea ice modeling context, and are expected to lead to the design of a series of wave tank and field experiments.