Understanding the background wave-in-ice signal for improved ice profiler performance

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The decreased summer ice extent has opened wide regions of the Arctic for the generation of surface waves. Wave heights of more than 5m are now observed regularly in the Western Arctic. The waves constitute an increasing thread of coastal erosion, affecting marine operations and shipping, and have a profound impact on the annual break-up and re-freezing of the ice cover. The physics of wave propagating into ice are complex, and include reflection at the ice edge, viscous dampening of mainly shorter wave length, flexural transmission and thus non-linear transformation of basic wave properties like wave length and wave period.ASL has been providing observational equipment and data analysis for ice monitoring in the Arctic for over 40 years. A key instrument developed at ASL is the Ice Profiler Sonar (IPS). In this project, we will develop algorithms to extend the IPS capabilities to include wave-in-ice processes. Several years of IPS data provide the basis for understanding the various wave processes present in IPS data, and to develop improved algorithm, ultimately allowing the adaptation of the IPS to the emerging, seasonally ice-free Arctic.