Is there a relationship between rubble field configuration and submarine formations?

• Main Authors: Barker, A., Timco, G., Collins, A., Blasco, S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Lulea University of Technology 2009
• Subjects: Arctic; Beaufort Sea; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=f4f471f5-40c9-47ca-89c9-d0cf88f28ea2; https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/fra/voir/objet/?id=f4f471f5-40c9-47ca-89c9-d0cf88f28ea2

In the Canadian Beaufort Sea, ice rubble fields frequently form when sea ice is driven over and grounds on submerged, relic drilling berms. This is also true of ice interacting with natural shoals. These rubble fields can be extensive, extending up to a kilometre along the principle axis of formation. In this paper, the relationship between the type of submarine formation that initiates rubble field development and the ultimate dimensions of the rubble field is explored. The analysis shows that although there is reasonable consistency in rubble dimensions at a specific location, the dependence of the size of the rubble field on the number of days of moving ice, ice conditions, water depth and other environmental parameters make a generalization of a rubble size relationship difficult to define. Nevertheless, there is a general trend of a 1:1 relationship between the size of the rubble field and size of the submarine berm. The type of submarine berm, one built for a caisson versus a sacrificial island berm, did influence the final dimensions of the rubble field. Peer reviewed: Yes NRC publication: Yes