文章基本信息

标题：Spatial hierarchy in Arctic sea ice dynamics
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作者：S. Lyn Mcnutt ; James E. Overland
期刊名称：Tellus A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography
电子版ISSN：1600-0870
出版年度：2003
卷号：55
期号：2
页码：181-191
DOI：10.3402/tellusa.v55i2.12088
摘要：We define a new classification for Arctic sea ice dynamics based on a spatial and temporal scale:floe, multifloe, aggregate, coherent, sub-basin and seasonal. The classification is supported by remotesensing and in situ observations of ice motions at scales of 1–700 km, as found in the existing scientificliterature. The first significant change in sea ice behavior appears as an “emergent” property of the seaice at the transition from the multifloe scale (2–10 km/<1 d) to the aggregate scale (10–75 km/1–3 d).This emergent behavior establishes a statistical mechanical length where sea ice can be considered aplastic continuum. A second important, or coherent scale occurs at 75–300 km and 3–7 d, where thespatial/temporal processes of sea ice dynamics best match the scales of the wind forcing, i.e., winds ofthis duration and fetch are necessary to fully load the internal stress field. At scales smaller than thecoherent scale, the spatial dimension is important because the sea ice motions on the coherent scaleprovide non-local forcing to the aggregate scale. At dimensions larger than the coherent scale, includingthe sub-basin and seasonal scales, spatial and temporal averaging occurs, which smooths discontinuities.To understand and model sea ice dynamics at each of these scales requires an understanding of thedetail at the next smallest level. Proper understanding and representation of sea ice dynamics at allscales is critical to devising a sound strategy for data assimilation into sea ice models.