SWIIFT v0.10: a numerical model of wave-induced sea ice breakup based on an energy criterion
Geoscientific Model Development
The wave-induced breakup of sea ice contributes to the formation of the
marginal ice zone in the polar oceans. Understanding how waves
fragment the ice cover into individual ice floes is thus instrumental for
accurate numerical simulations of the sea ice extent and its evolution, both for
operational and climate research purposes. Yet, there is currently no consensus
on the appropriate fracturing criterion, which should constitute the starting
point of a physically sound wave--ice model.
While fracture by waves is commonly treated within a hydroelastic framework and
parametrised with a maximum strain-based criterion, in this study we explore a
different, energy-based, approach to fracturing.
We introduce SWIIFT (Surface Wave Impact on sea Ice---Fracture Toolkit), a
one-dimensional model based on linear plate theory, that can produce
time-domain simulations of wave-induced fracture, into which we incorporate
this energy fracture criterion.
We demonstrate SWIIFT with simple simulations that reproduce existing
laboratory experiments of the fracture by waves of an analogue material,
allowing qualitative comparisons and validations of the energy fracture
criterion.
We find that under some wave conditions, identified by a dimensionless
wavenumber, corresponding to in situ or laboratory wave-induced fracture, the
model does not predict fracture at constant curvature; thereby calling into
question the appropriateness of parametrising sea ice fracture with a maximum
strain criterion. |