Applications of an unstructured grid surface wave model (FVCOM-SWAVE) to the Arctic Ocean: The interaction between ocean waves and sea ice

Rapidly melting sea ice processes during the summer tend to enlarge the open water in the Arctic region. The resulting larger potential fetch for surface waves can allow significant wave generation and development in the region. The sea ice plays an energy dissipation role for waves propagating into the ice-covered sea. A spherical-coordinate surface wave model was established within the unstructured grid Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) to examine the influence of ice-induced wave attenuation on waves propagating into the ice in the Arctic Ocean. Ice-induced wave attenuation parameterizations were implemented, with an effective methodology to reduce numerical dissipation during the energy advection in geographic space. Wave partition and source tracking methods were added to distinguish the windsea and swell, as well as to backtrack swell waves to their sources. The model-simulated significant wave heights and peak periods were compared with available buoy and Jason-2 satellite measurements. Results from a process-oriented model show that simulations of the surface waves in the Arctic region are improved when ice-induced attenuation is included in the model system. An empirical method is used to statistically estimate wave-induced ice breakage, based on the wave-induced internal ice strain, as waves penetrate into the ice zone. The simulation results support the 'ice retreat-wave growth' positive feedback mechanism.