Grant Award View - GA72522

Metocean dynamics of the Antarctic Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) is a topic of challenge and significance. The wave forecast has to accommodate multiple physical mechanisms of wave-ice interactions, depending also on complex mechanical properties of ice. Furthermore, waves can break the ice, which can subsequently melt or refreeze (i.e. promote or arrest wave growth), and thus wave forecast in MIZ becomes an air-sea-wave-ice coupled problem. In turn, the ice breakup can impact air-sea fluxes at seasonal and even climate scales. Analytical theories for some of the processes, albeit not all, are available, but quantitative guidance is very limited.

The project proposes systematic experimental studies of Metocean dynamics of the Antarctic MIZ. Observations will be concurrent with implementation of wave-ice modules in the wave model WAVEWATCH-III (WW3), and with coupling WW3 with ocean circulation models ROMS and MOM5. End users from AAD and BoM will be research collaborators on the project.