Field observations and preliminary investigations of a wave event in solid drift ice in the barents sea

Abstract

Waves propagating below drift ice were observed in the North-West Barents Sea. In-situ measurements of ice and water characteristics were performed with the equipment deployed on the ice and in the water below the ice during 16 hours from 16:00, May 1, to 08:00, May 2, 2016. Peak frequencies of the observed waves were around 0.35 rad/s, 0.5 rad/s, 0.6 rad/s and 0.8 rad/s. It is found that the eddy viscosity in the boundary layer below the ice has a mean value of 140 cm2 /s with significant variations correlated with the floe acceleration. Spectral properties of the observed waves are compared with the results of the WaveWatch III model. The origin of the observed waves is discussed in the paper.