Direct in-situ observations of wave-induced floe collisions in the deeper Marginal Ice Zone

TL;DR

This study provides direct in situ observations of wave-induced floe collisions in the Marginal Ice Zone, revealing how waves influence ice floe interactions and potentially contribute to ice break-up.

Contribution

It offers new empirical evidence of wave-induced floe collisions and clarifies their phase-locking with wave signals, advancing understanding of wave-ice interaction mechanisms.

Findings

Floe collisions are aligned with incoming waves.

Collision frequency correlates with wave activity.

Wave-induced collisions may impact ice break-up processes.

Abstract

Ocean waves propagating through the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) and the pack ice are strongly attenuated. This attenuation is critical for protecting sea ice from energetic wave events that could otherwise lead to sea ice break-up and dislocation over large areas. Despite the importance of waves-in-ice attenuation, the exact physical mechanisms involved, and their relative importance, are still uncertain. Here we present direct in situ measurements of floe-floe interactions under the influence of waves, including collisions between adjacent floes. The collision events we report are aligned with the incoming wave direction, and phase-locked to the wave signal, which indicates that the individual collisions we detect are wave-induced. The observations indicate a possible correlation between sudden increases in wave activity and the frequency of floe-floe collisions