Ice Drift in the Arctic Ocean

Czesław Dyrcz

doi:10.2478/sjpna-2020-0011

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents results of research based on analysis of historical and present studies of the Arctic ice drift. Current information about Arctic ice drift comes from the scientific expedition organized by the Alfred-Wrgener-Institut Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) from Bremerhaven (Germany) in the Arctic Ocean, as a part of the Multidiscipli-nary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC), coming from the deck of the icebreaker RV “Polarstern”. The main purpose of the article was to collect and illustrate information on the phenomenon of ice drift in the Arctic Ocean, considering data from ongoing research during the MOSAiC expedition. The average movement speed of the icebreaker RV “Polarstern” frozen in Arctic ice during the first three legs of the expedition was over 5 Nm/day, which is characteristic of the current data relating to the speed of the Arctic ice drift in the place of research. On the other hand, the article is popular science, and presents the overall characteristics of Arctic ice drift with an indication of the general directions, and speed of its movement. Ice drift speeds in the Arctic can reach exceptionally high values under favorable conditions. The drift of sea ice reaching at its intensity/intensity values close to the limit (dangerous criterion) in these extreme cases is called the “ice river”. The speed of “ice rivers” can reach up to 1–2 knots, however, in extreme conditions up to 9 knots. Based on data from the AWI, correlation points were identified between the speed of Arctic ice drift and the speed of winds and atmospheric pressure values.

Highlights

The issue of ice drift in the Arctic Ocean has become important recently, with extreme ice sheet melting during the Arctic summer, followed by freezing and movement
One of the problems studied for the current scientific expedition in the Arctic Ocean as part of MOSAiC is the drift of Arctic ice
It is interesting information coming from the deck of the icebreaker RV "Polarstern", which is the base of the MOSAiC scientific expedition [7, 10, 11]

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The issue of ice drift in the Arctic Ocean has become important recently, with extreme ice sheet melting during the Arctic summer, followed by freezing and movement. During the historical period of research, the phenomenon of Arctic ice drift was carried out by many research expeditions, which did not always succeed. The main purpose of the article was to collect and illustrate information on the phenomenon of ice drift in the Arctic Ocean, taking into account data from ongoing research during the MOSAiC expedition. The article is a popular science, and presents the overall characteristics of Arctic ice drift with an indication of the general directions and speed of its movement. Implementation of the research was based on the historical material gathered by research institutes and present publications It is worth emphasizing and highlighting the fact that the article is of a cognitive and popular science character. Section ICE DRIFT RESERCH IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN presents three research expedition in the Arctic Ocean. Some discussion, and conclusions are given in last section

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEA ICE DRIFT

ICE DRIFT RESEARCH IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Findings

DRYF LODU NA OCEANIE ARKTYCZNYM