Sea-ice floe-size distribution in the context of spontaneous scaling emergence in stochastic systems

Abstract

Sea-ice floe-size distribution (FSD) in ice-pack covered seas influences many aspects of ocean-atmosphere interactions. However, data concerning FSD in the polar oceans are still sparse and processes shaping the observed FSD properties are poorly understood. Typically, power-law FSDs are assumed although no feasible explanation has been provided neither for this one nor for other properties of the observed distributions. Consequently, no model exists capable of predicting FSD parameters in any particular situation. Here I show that the observed FSDs can be well represented by a truncated Pareto distribution P(x)=x(-1-α) exp[(1-α)/x] , which is an emergent property of a certain group of multiplicative stochastic systems, described by the generalized Lotka-Volterra (GLV) equation. Building upon this recognition, a possibility of developing a simple agent-based GLV-type sea-ice model is considered. Contrary to simple power-law FSDs, GLV gives consistent estimates of the total floe perimeter, as well as floe-area distribution in agreement with observations.