Brief communication: Pancake ice floe size distribution during the winter expansion of the Antarctic marginal ice zone
Alberello, A.; Onorato, M.; Bennetts, L.; Vichi, M.; Eayrs, C.; MacHutchon, K.; Toffoli, A. (2019). Brief communication: Pancake ice floe size distribution during the winter expansion of the Antarctic marginal ice zone. Cryosphere 13(1): 41-48. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-41-2019
In: The Cryosphere. Copernicus: Göttingen. ISSN 1994-0416; e-ISSN 1994-0424, more
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| Authors | | Top |
- Alberello, A.
- Onorato, M.
- Bennetts, L.
- Vichi, M.
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- Eayrs, C.
- MacHutchon, K.
- Toffoli, A., more
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| Abstract |
The size distribution of pancake ice floes is calculated from images acquired during a voyage to the Antarctic marginal ice zone in the winter expansion season. Results show that 50 % of the sea ice area is made up of floes with diameters of 2.3–4 m. The floe size distribution shows two distinct slopes on either side of the 2.3–4 m range, neither of which conforms to a power law. Following a relevant recent study, it is conjectured that the growth of pancakes from frazil forms the distribution of small floes (D<2.3 m), and welding of pancakes forms the distribution of large floes (D>4 m). |
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