Session: 07-01-01 Arctic Environments and Frontier Regions

Submission Number: 181922

Polynomial Models of Ice Drift Speed Spectrum in the Beaufort Sea 

The primary objective of this study is to employ a polynomial modeling approach to characterize the frequency distribution of ice drift velocity. The model is established based on empirically measured ice drift speed data. The ice drift time series was obtained from the Beaufort Sea over the period 2006–2017 using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP). Among the environmental factors influencing ice motion, wind is recognized as the predominant driver. The degree of association between wind speed and ice drift velocity is quantified by the Nansen number, which typically expresses this relationship as a percentage. Accordingly, the frequency distribution of ice drift velocity is expected to exhibit a strong correspondence with the downscaled wind turbulence spectrum. In the present study, Fourier transformation was applied to the time series of both wind and ice drift velocities to examine their spectral properties. The results reveal that wind velocity exerts a significant influence on ice drift dynamics, particularly during the winter season. The Nansen number in the study region was determined to be approximately 2.5%, signifying a slower ice drift rate during winter and a faster rate during summer. Polynomial functions were employed to fit the power spectral density, demonstrating that such functions can effectively represent the empirical ice drift spectrum derived from subsurface mooring station measurements.

Keywords: Ice drift velocity; Polynomial model; Frequency distribution; Wind–ice interaction;

Presenting Author: Chana Sinsabvarodom Chiang Mai University

Presenting Author Biography: Asst. Prof. Dr. Chana Sinsabvarodom is with the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. His research focuses on probabilistic modeling in Arctic engineering.

Authors:

Chana Sinsabvarodom Chiang Mai University
Bernt J. Leira Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU
Knut v. Høyland Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU
Arvid Næss Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU
Wei Chai Wuhan University of Technology
Siramas Komonjinda Chiang Mai University
Waraporn Nuntiyakul Chiang Mai University
Achara Seripienlert Chiang Mai University