Ocean waves across the Arctic: Attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 s

Abstract The poorly understood attenuation of surface waves in sea ice is generally attributed to the combination of scattering and dissipation. Scattering and dissipation have very different effects on the directional and temporal distribution of wave energy, making it possible to better understand...

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Main Authors: Fabrice Ardhuin, Peter Sutherland, Martin Doble, Peter Wadhams
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-06-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068204
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author Fabrice Ardhuin
Peter Sutherland
Martin Doble
Peter Wadhams
author_facet Fabrice Ardhuin
Peter Sutherland
Martin Doble
Peter Wadhams
author_sort Fabrice Ardhuin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The poorly understood attenuation of surface waves in sea ice is generally attributed to the combination of scattering and dissipation. Scattering and dissipation have very different effects on the directional and temporal distribution of wave energy, making it possible to better understand their relative importance by analysis of swell directional spreading and arrival times. Here we compare results of a spectral wave model—using adjustable scattering and dissipation attenuation formulations—with wave measurements far inside the ice pack. In this case, scattering plays a negligible role in the attenuation of long swells. Specifically, scattering‐dominated attenuation would produce directional wave spectra much broader than the ones recorded, and swell events arriving later and lasting much longer than observed. Details of the dissipation process remain uncertain. Average dissipation rates are consistent with creep effects but are 12 times those expected for a laminar boundary layer under a smooth solid ice plate.
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-adbf72ead97042f19f7e0cbafed2fdee2025-08-20T03:10:25ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072016-06-0143115775578310.1002/2016GL068204Ocean waves across the Arctic: Attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 sFabrice Ardhuin0Peter Sutherland1Martin Doble2Peter Wadhams3University Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS), IUEM Brest FranceUniversity Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS), IUEM Brest FrancePolar Scientific Ltd Appin UKDepartment of Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics University of Cambridge Cambridge UKAbstract The poorly understood attenuation of surface waves in sea ice is generally attributed to the combination of scattering and dissipation. Scattering and dissipation have very different effects on the directional and temporal distribution of wave energy, making it possible to better understand their relative importance by analysis of swell directional spreading and arrival times. Here we compare results of a spectral wave model—using adjustable scattering and dissipation attenuation formulations—with wave measurements far inside the ice pack. In this case, scattering plays a negligible role in the attenuation of long swells. Specifically, scattering‐dominated attenuation would produce directional wave spectra much broader than the ones recorded, and swell events arriving later and lasting much longer than observed. Details of the dissipation process remain uncertain. Average dissipation rates are consistent with creep effects but are 12 times those expected for a laminar boundary layer under a smooth solid ice plate.https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068204ocean wavessea iceTaraDAMOCLES
spellingShingle Fabrice Ardhuin
Peter Sutherland
Martin Doble
Peter Wadhams
Ocean waves across the Arctic: Attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 s
Geophysical Research Letters
ocean waves
sea ice
Tara
DAMOCLES
title Ocean waves across the Arctic: Attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 s
title_full Ocean waves across the Arctic: Attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 s
title_fullStr Ocean waves across the Arctic: Attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 s
title_full_unstemmed Ocean waves across the Arctic: Attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 s
title_short Ocean waves across the Arctic: Attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 s
title_sort ocean waves across the arctic attenuation due to dissipation dominates over scattering for periods longer than 19 s
topic ocean waves
sea ice
Tara
DAMOCLES
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068204
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AT petersutherland oceanwavesacrossthearcticattenuationduetodissipationdominatesoverscatteringforperiodslongerthan19s
AT martindoble oceanwavesacrossthearcticattenuationduetodissipationdominatesoverscatteringforperiodslongerthan19s
AT peterwadhams oceanwavesacrossthearcticattenuationduetodissipationdominatesoverscatteringforperiodslongerthan19s