Sizes and Shapes of Sea Ice Floes Broken by Waves–A Case Study From the East Antarctic Coast

The floe size distribution (FSD) is an important characteristics of sea ice, influencing several physical processes that take place in the oceanic and atmospheric boundary layers under/over as well within ice itself. Through complex feedback loops involving those processes, FSD might modify short-term seasonal evolution cover, therefore significant effort undertaken by scientific community to better understand FSD-related effects include them models. An part analyzing properties variability different forcing conditions, based on airborne satellite imagery. In this work we analyze a very high resolution (pixel size: 0.3 m) image from location off East Antarctic coast (65.6°S, 101.9°E), acquired February 16, 2019. Contrary most previous studies, floes have angular, polygonal shapes narrow distribution. We show observed can be represented weighted sum two probability distributions, Gaussian tapered power law, with clearly dominating range contribute over 90% total surface area. Based analysis weather, wave conditions period preceding day question, discuss probable scenarios led breakup landfast into visible image. Finally, theoretical arguments backed up series numerical simulations propagation performed scattering model Matched Eigenfunction Expansion Method are used three regions (18, 13 51 m, respectively) agree expected result wave-induced breaking ice.