Session: 07-03-01 Arctic Frontier Regions

Paper Number: 125860

125860 - Enhancing the Resolution of Large-Scale Sea-Ice Models Through Synthesising Satellite Imagery and Discrete-Element Modelling 

Deformation is a fundamental aspect of sea-ice behaviour, playing a crucial role in the overall dynamics of polar regions. Deformations in sea ice occur as it moves and changes shape in response to external forces and internal stresses. Sea-ice deformation processes may lead to the formation of specific types of narrow structures, known as linear kinematic features (LKFs). These include cracks and elongated openings (leads), pressure ridges and shear zones, all of which are important for safety and navigation in polar regions. Cracks and leads also affect the exchange of heat and gases between the ocean and the atmosphere, influencing climate patterns and ecosystems.

However, it is particularly challenging to model the dynamics of all these narrow deformation features with traditional (continuum) sea-ice models due to their low resolution, especially near coastlines and islands. Discrete-Element Models (DEMs), on the other hand, can resolve the dynamics of individual floes and, therefore, are well-suited for modelling the behaviour of sea ice at small scales. Using high-resolution satellite imagery along with oceanographic reanalysis data and large-scale ice drift predictions to initialise and force a DEM, we have shown that our model can accurately reproduce ice drift and deformation patterns within a 100-by-100 km² area near Arctic islands. Resolving elements of sea ice on scales of 10 m to 100 kilometres, including floes and leads, may open up new applications of DEM in ice navigation and climate studies. However, further development of DEM towards explicit ice fracture, accompanied by upgrades to coupled ocean models, may be necessary.

Presenting Author: Andrei Tsarau Norwegian University of Science and Technology/ SINTEF Ocean

Presenting Author Biography: Andrei Tsarau holds a PhD in Marine Civil Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. He has over 10 years of research experience in computational and experimental marine hydrodynamics, mainly through his work at NTNU and SINTEF Ocean. Currently, his main research field is marine aquaculture structures with a focus on numerical modelling of fluid-structure interaction. As a skilled researcher, he has also expertise and interest in modelling Arctic offshore environments, including sea ice, waves and currents.

Authors:

Andrei Tsarau Norwegian University of Science and Technology/ SINTEF Ocean
Wenjun Lu Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Raed Lubbad Norwegian University of Science and Technology