An investigation into the interaction between waves and ice

Abstract

The polar regions are the focus of increased attention due to a combination of environmental, political and economic reasons. In order to help support human activities in the arctic and monitor the state of the ecosystem, detailed understanding and models of the state of sea ice are necessary. Sea ice is affected by incoming waves, and therefore studying wave-ice interaction is an important part of this effort. In my thesis work, I investigated how waves propagate through different types of ice covers.

More specifically, two phenomena of practical importance were studied. First, I looked at how waves attenuate as they propagate through sea ice. This, in turn, determines how much ice can be broken by incoming waves and should be part of waves and ice forecasts. Second, I investigated the currents created under the ice as a consequence of the propagation of the waves. There it was shown experimentally that mean currents can arise, which are expected to play a role in the dispersion of nutriments and pollutants.