Articles | Volume 14, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4265-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4265-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
27 Nov 2020
Research article |
| 27 Nov 2020
| 27 Nov 2020
Experimental evidence for a universal threshold characterizing wave-induced sea ice break-up
Joey J. Voermans
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
Jean Rabault
Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo, Norway
Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Kirill Filchuk
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
Ivan Ryzhov
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
Petra Heil
Australian Antarctic Division and Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
Aleksey Marchenko
The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
Clarence O. Collins III
Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center, Duck, North Carolina, USA
Mohammed Dabboor
Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dorval, Canada
Graig Sutherland
Environmental Numerical Prediction Research, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Dorval, Canada
Alexander V. Babanin
Department of Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
Laboratory for Regional Oceanography and Numerical Modeling, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
Viewed
Total article views: 7,067 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 24 Jul 2020)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,758 | 1,202 | 107 | 7,067 | 147 | 202 |
- HTML: 5,758
- PDF: 1,202
- XML: 107
- Total: 7,067
- BibTeX: 147
- EndNote: 202
Total article views: 6,319 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 27 Nov 2020)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,317 | 906 | 96 | 6,319 | 129 | 184 |
- HTML: 5,317
- PDF: 906
- XML: 96
- Total: 6,319
- BibTeX: 129
- EndNote: 184
Total article views: 748 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 24 Jul 2020)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 441 | 296 | 11 | 748 | 18 | 18 |
- HTML: 441
- PDF: 296
- XML: 11
- Total: 748
- BibTeX: 18
- EndNote: 18
Viewed (geographical distribution)
Total article views: 7,067 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 6,748 with geography defined
and 319 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 6,319 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 6,055 with geography defined
and 264 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 748 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 693 with geography defined
and 55 with unknown origin.
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
Cited
31 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Wind-wave climate changes and their impacts M. Casas-Prat et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00502-0
- OpenMetBuoy-v2021: An Easy-to-Build, Affordable, Customizable, Open-Source Instrument for Oceanographic Measurements of Drift and Waves in Sea Ice and the Open Ocean J. Rabault et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences12030110
- A New Model Ice for Wave-Ice Interaction F. von Bock und Polach et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233397
- Frazil Ice in the Antarctic Marginal Ice Zone F. Paul et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9060647
- Validity of the wave stationarity assumption on estimates of wave attenuation in sea ice: toward a method for wave–ice attenuation observations at global scales J. Voermans et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.99
- Transformation of Water Wave Spectra into Time Series of Surface Elevation P. Oleinik et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/earth2040059
- Physics of the Seasonal Sea Ice Zone L. Roach et al. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-121422-015323
- Sizes and Shapes of Sea Ice Floes Broken by Waves–A Case Study From the East Antarctic Coast A. Herman et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.655977
- Simulating ice–wave interactions in the Laurentian Great Lakes using a fully coupled hydrodynamic–ice–wave model M. Javaherian et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2025.102513
- Consistent Models of Flexural-Gravity Waves in Floating Ice A. Korobkin & T. Khabakhpasheva https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061191
- A Two‐Part Model for Wave‐Sea Ice Interaction: Attenuation and Break‐Up J. Kousal et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JC018571
- Breaking of a floating particle raft by water waves L. Saddier et al. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.094302
- Interactions between Irregular Wave Fields and Sea Ice: A Physical Model for Wave Attenuation and Ice Breakup in an Ice Tank G. Passerotti et al. https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-21-0238.1
- Floes, the marginal ice zone and coupled wave-sea-ice feedbacks C. Horvat https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2021.0252
- Buoy measurements of strong waves in ice amplitude modulation: a signature of the impact of sea ice closedness on waves in ice attenuation J. Rabault et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6229-2025
- Estimating the elastic modulus of landfast ice from wave observations J. Voermans et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.63
- WIFF1.0: a hybrid machine-learning-based parameterization of wave-induced sea ice floe fracture C. Horvat & L. Roach https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-803-2022
- A position and wave spectra dataset of Marginal Ice Zone dynamics collected around Svalbard in 2022 and 2023 J. Rabault et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-04281-1
- Observation of wave propagation over 1,000 km into Antarctica winter pack ice T. Nose et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/21664250.2023.2283243
- Effect of ocean surface waves on sea ice using coupled wave–ice–ocean modelling S. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2025.102540
- A review of flexible fluid-structure interactions in the ocean: Progress, challenges, and future directions S. Tavakoli et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2025.122545
- Wave-influenced formation of new ice: Model building and a test case C. Yue & H. Shen https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101878
- Wave dispersion and dissipation in landfast ice: comparison of observations against models J. Voermans et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5557-2021
- Measurement of Sea Waves G. Rossi et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010078
- Modelling the Arctic wave-affected marginal ice zone: a comparison with ICESat-2 observations G. Boutin et al. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2021.0262
- Wave-Induced Fracture of a Sea-Ice Analog B. Auvity et al. https://doi.org/10.1103/911x-1hyh
- A dataset of direct observations of sea ice drift and waves in ice J. Rabault et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02160-9
- SWIIFT v0.10: a numerical model of wave-induced sea ice breakup with an energy criterion N. Mokus et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-261-2026
- Mechanisms and Predictability of Beaufort Sea Ice Retreat Revealed by Coupled Modeling and Remote Sensing Data H. Nie et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17193286
- Effects of Wave-Induced Sea Ice Break-Up and Mixing in a High-Resolution Coupled Ice-Ocean Model J. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9040365
- Finely resolved along-track wave attenuation estimates in the Antarctic marginal ice zone from ICESat-2 J. Voermans et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3381-2025
31 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Wind-wave climate changes and their impacts M. Casas-Prat et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00502-0
- OpenMetBuoy-v2021: An Easy-to-Build, Affordable, Customizable, Open-Source Instrument for Oceanographic Measurements of Drift and Waves in Sea Ice and the Open Ocean J. Rabault et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences12030110
- A New Model Ice for Wave-Ice Interaction F. von Bock und Polach et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233397
- Frazil Ice in the Antarctic Marginal Ice Zone F. Paul et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9060647
- Validity of the wave stationarity assumption on estimates of wave attenuation in sea ice: toward a method for wave–ice attenuation observations at global scales J. Voermans et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.99
- Transformation of Water Wave Spectra into Time Series of Surface Elevation P. Oleinik et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/earth2040059
- Physics of the Seasonal Sea Ice Zone L. Roach et al. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-121422-015323
- Sizes and Shapes of Sea Ice Floes Broken by Waves–A Case Study From the East Antarctic Coast A. Herman et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.655977
- Simulating ice–wave interactions in the Laurentian Great Lakes using a fully coupled hydrodynamic–ice–wave model M. Javaherian et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2025.102513
- Consistent Models of Flexural-Gravity Waves in Floating Ice A. Korobkin & T. Khabakhpasheva https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061191
- A Two‐Part Model for Wave‐Sea Ice Interaction: Attenuation and Break‐Up J. Kousal et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JC018571
- Breaking of a floating particle raft by water waves L. Saddier et al. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.094302
- Interactions between Irregular Wave Fields and Sea Ice: A Physical Model for Wave Attenuation and Ice Breakup in an Ice Tank G. Passerotti et al. https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-21-0238.1
- Floes, the marginal ice zone and coupled wave-sea-ice feedbacks C. Horvat https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2021.0252
- Buoy measurements of strong waves in ice amplitude modulation: a signature of the impact of sea ice closedness on waves in ice attenuation J. Rabault et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6229-2025
- Estimating the elastic modulus of landfast ice from wave observations J. Voermans et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.63
- WIFF1.0: a hybrid machine-learning-based parameterization of wave-induced sea ice floe fracture C. Horvat & L. Roach https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-803-2022
- A position and wave spectra dataset of Marginal Ice Zone dynamics collected around Svalbard in 2022 and 2023 J. Rabault et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-04281-1
- Observation of wave propagation over 1,000 km into Antarctica winter pack ice T. Nose et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/21664250.2023.2283243
- Effect of ocean surface waves on sea ice using coupled wave–ice–ocean modelling S. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2025.102540
- A review of flexible fluid-structure interactions in the ocean: Progress, challenges, and future directions S. Tavakoli et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2025.122545
- Wave-influenced formation of new ice: Model building and a test case C. Yue & H. Shen https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101878
- Wave dispersion and dissipation in landfast ice: comparison of observations against models J. Voermans et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5557-2021
- Measurement of Sea Waves G. Rossi et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010078
- Modelling the Arctic wave-affected marginal ice zone: a comparison with ICESat-2 observations G. Boutin et al. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2021.0262
- Wave-Induced Fracture of a Sea-Ice Analog B. Auvity et al. https://doi.org/10.1103/911x-1hyh
- A dataset of direct observations of sea ice drift and waves in ice J. Rabault et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02160-9
- SWIIFT v0.10: a numerical model of wave-induced sea ice breakup with an energy criterion N. Mokus et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-261-2026
- Mechanisms and Predictability of Beaufort Sea Ice Retreat Revealed by Coupled Modeling and Remote Sensing Data H. Nie et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17193286
- Effects of Wave-Induced Sea Ice Break-Up and Mixing in a High-Resolution Coupled Ice-Ocean Model J. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9040365
- Finely resolved along-track wave attenuation estimates in the Antarctic marginal ice zone from ICESat-2 J. Voermans et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3381-2025
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 23 Jun 2026
Short summary
In this work we demonstrate the existence of an observational threshold which identifies when waves are most likely to break sea ice. This threshold is based on information from two recent field campaigns, supplemented with existing observations of sea ice break-up. We show that both field and laboratory observations tend to converge to a single quantitative threshold at which the wave-induced sea ice break-up takes place, which opens a promising avenue for operational forecasting models.
In this work we demonstrate the existence of an observational threshold which identifies when...
