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Conclusion and Perspectives: Sea Ice Drift, Deformation and Fracturing in a Changing Arctic

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Drift, Deformation, and Fracture of Sea Ice

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Earth Sciences ((BRIEFSEARTH))

Abstract

This concluding chapter briefly reviews the recently evidenced modifications in Arctic sea ice drift, deformation and rheology that occurred during the last decades. For more than 30 years now, increasing average drift velocities and deformation rates, in both summer and winter, not only accompanied but most likely strengthened the Arctic sea ice decline through a modification of the albedo feedback. Indeed, a thinner ice cover means more fracturing, which in turns can have two consequences. First, more lead opening means a decreasing albedo. Second, increasing fracturing facilitates sea ice mobility and export out of the Arctic basin, i.e. means a negative contribution to mass balance. An average mechanical weakening of the Arctic sea ice cover has been highlighted from a strengthening of inertial oscillations. This interweaving of the sea ice state (thickness, concentration) in the one hand, and mechanical/dynamical processes on the other hand, calls for a continuing effort on the analysis of sea ice drift, deformation and fracturing.

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  1. Géophysique de l’Environnement, Laboratoire de Glaciologie et, rue Molière 54, Saint-Martin d’Hères cedex, 38402, France

    Jérôme Weiss

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Weiss, J. (2013). Conclusion and Perspectives: Sea Ice Drift, Deformation and Fracturing in a Changing Arctic. In: Drift, Deformation, and Fracture of Sea Ice. SpringerBriefs in Earth Sciences. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6202-2_5

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