A model for wave propagation through the MIZ is presented derived from the model of Meylan and Squire (1996) for scattering from a single flexible floe. The single floe solution is incorporated into the equation of transport for the propagation of waves through a scattering medium. This model is solved in the time independent case for an isotropic MIZ using the standard matrix method. Results are presented for the evolution of directional and frequency spectra, concentrating on floes of 50 m diameter and on waves of 10 s period.
The MIZ (Marginal Ice Zone) is that part of the seasonal ice cover which is close enough to the open to ocean to be strongly affected by it. It is a dynamic region in which there are complex exchanges between the sea ice, ocean and atmosphere. It is also a region of great variation in physical properties such as ice concentration, ice thickness, and average floe size. Ocean waves play a significant role in determining the properties of the ice cover in the MIZ and similarly the propagation of ocean waves through the MIZ is largely determined by the properties of the ice cover (see Squire et al, 1995 for a discussion of recent research on the topic). Experimental work has been carried out to measure the propagation of waves through the MIZ, the most significant results being those of Wadhams et al. (1986, 1988). They found that the wave energy decayed exponentially and that the coefficient of decay decreased with increasing period. They also found that short wave spectra rapidly broaden in direction with propagation through the MIZ, while long wave spectra initially narrow and then broaden to eventually also become isotropic.
