THE STEADY DRIFT OF AN INCOMPRESSIBLE ARCTIC ICE COVER

The steady drift of pack ice in an idealized arctic basin has been calculated by assuming that the ice is incompressible and inviscid. The momentum and continuity equations for the ice are solved for the velocity and the ice pressure. The divergence of velocity is assumed to be 0.33 X 10 to the minus 8th power. The boundary conditions require that no ice flows across coastal boundaries but that ice flows out of the basin into the Greenland Sea and into the basin from the Kara Sea. The patterns of calculated velocities and vorticities are realistic, but their magnitudes are too high. The maximum calculated ice pressure of about 10 to the 8th power dyn/cm (pressure integrated through the ice thickness) is marginally able to ridge thick ice, according to the ridging model of Parmerter and Coon. These maximum values occur near Greenland, where Wittmann and Schule report intense ridging. When the wind stress is reduced to one third of the strength first assumed realistic speeds and vorticities are obtained, and the maximum pressures are reduced to one third of the above value.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Also published in Journal of Geophysical Research, V80 N3, pp 387-397, 20 Jan 75.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Washington, Seattle

  Department of Atmospheric Sciences
  Seattle, WA  United States  98195
• Authors:
  • Rothrock, D A
• Publication Date: 1973-6-29

Media Info

• Pagination: 13 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drift ice; Ice formations; Pack ice
• Old TRIS Terms: Ice ridge distribution
• Subject Areas: Hydraulics and Hydrology; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00098226
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: TR-29 Tech Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: N00014-67-A0103-0007, NSF-GV-28807
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 29 1975 12:00AM