Wave Attenuation in Drifting Sea Ice: A Mechanistic Model for Observed Decay Profiles

Abstract

Wave-sea ice interactions shape the transition zone between open ocean and pack ice in the polar regions. Most theoretical paradigms, implemented in coupled wave-sea ice models, predict exponential decay of the wave energy but some recent observations deviate from this behaviour. Expanding on a framework based on wave energy dissipation due to ice-water drag, we account for drifting sea ice to derive an improved model for wave energy attenuation. Analytical solutions replicate the observed non-exponential wave energy decay and the spatial evolution of the effective attenuation rate in Antarctic sea ice.