Theory of the Sea Ice Thickness Distribution

QC 20151104
We use concepts from statistical physics to transform the original evolution equation for the sea ice thickness distribution g(h) from Thorndike et al. into a Fokker-Planck-like conservation law. The steady solution is g(h) = N(q)h(q)e(-h/H), where q and H are expressible in terms of moments over the transition probabilities between thickness categories. The solution exhibits the functional form used in observational fits and shows that for h << 1, g(h) is controlled by both thermodynamics and mechanics, whereas for h >> 1 only mechanics controls g(h). Finally, we derive the underlying Langevin equation governing the dynamics of the ice thickness h, from which we predict the observed g(h). The genericity of our approach provides a framework for studying the geophysical-scale structure of the ice pack using methods of broad relevance in statistical mechanics.

Wettlaufer, John S.Stockholms universitet,KTH,Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics NORDITA,Nordiska institutet för teoretisk fysik (Nordita),Yale University, USA; University of Oxford, UK(Swepub:su)jw (författare)
KTHNordic Institute for Theoretical Physics NORDITA (creator_code:org_t)

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