Classification and variation of sea ice ridging in the western Arctic basin

Abstract

A one‐parameter model for pressure ridges is developed and compared, with good agreement, with over 3000 km of laser profile data taken from November 1970 to February 1973 in the Arctic basin. Comparisons are also made with a previously developed two‐parameter model. The number of ridges per kilometer at any height level may be well predicted from the one‐parameter model by using a parameter called ridging intensity (denoted by γh) which may be determined for a region from the mean number of ridges per unit length and the mean ridge height. Regional and temporal variations in ridging intensity in the western Arctic basin are studied. Results indicate that although magnitudes of ridging intensity vary in time, the relative regional variations are similar. Consequently, three distinct regions of ridging intensity having relatively stable boundaries can be defined. Annual variation in new ice production due to ridging is sufficiently large to suggest that ridging plays an important role in the overall mass balance of the Arctic basin.

Characterizing Arctic sea ice topography using high-resolution IceBridge data

“…Hibler et al, 1974;Wadhams, 1981;Wadhams and Davy, 1986;Martin, 2007). In this study we employ the elevation threshold approach, which has been used extensively in previous studies (e.g.…”

Characterization of Cold-Regions Terrain Using Airborne Laser Profilometry

“…The effect varies from above I % less for lightly ridged a reas to about 10% less for heavily ridged areas with the percentages generally d ecreasing for the higher ridges. These results suggest that ridge statistics (for ridges > 4 ft ( 1.22 m)) reported in Hibler and others ( 1974) would be changed only slightly by using the Rayleigh test. For ridges less than 4 ft ( 1.…”

“…Results of this work have included studies of the morphological characteristics of ridges (Weeks and others, [1972]; Kovacs, 1972), the development of mechanical ridge-formation models (Parmerter and Coon, 1972 ); and th e development of statistical models for describing the height and spatial distribution of pressure ridges (Hi bier and others, 1972 ;Hibler and others, 1974). Laser profiles, in conj unction with the three-step filtering process, provide a means of rapidly compiling ridge height and spacing statistics along a straight-line path.…”

“…In choos ing a single parameter for this purpose, common sense dictates that it should be som e combination of the mean ridge height and mean ridge spacing. For this purpose, a parameter Yh (called ridging intensity) defined by Yh = fLh / '\ has been found to d escribe ridging reasonably well (Hibler and others, 1974). …”

“…The solid curves are constructed by an empirical procedure discussed by Hibler and others ( 1974)' The data were taken from sixteen laser track samples each about 40 km long taken in November 1970. Figure 8 shows the geographical location and ridging intensity of each of the 16 samples along with rough contours of the ridging intensity.…”