A dissipative nonlinear Schrödinger model for wave propagation in the marginal ice zone

• Published in: Physics of Fluids
• Main Authors: Alberello, A., Părău, E. I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: AIP Publishing 2022
• Subjects: Condensed Matter Physics; Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes; Mechanics of Materials; Computational Mechanics; Mechanical Engineering; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0089866; https://pubs.aip.org/aip/pof/article-pdf/doi/10.1063/5.0089866/16565460/061702_1_online.pdf

Sea ice attenuates waves propagating from the open ocean. Here, we model the evolution of energetic unidirectional random waves in the marginal ice zone with a nonlinear Schrödinger equation, with a frequency dependent dissipative term consistent with current model paradigms and recent field observations. The preferential dissipation of high frequency components results in a concurrent downshift of the spectral peak that leads to a less than exponential energy decay, but at a lower rate compared to a corresponding linear model. Attenuation and downshift contrast nonlinearity and nonlinear wave statistics at the edge tend to Gaussianity farther into the marginal ice zone.