Brief communication: Pancake ice floe size distribution during the winter expansion of the Antarctic marginal ice zone

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: A. Alberello, M. Onorato, L. Bennetts, M. Vichi, C. Eayrs, K. MacHutchon, A. Toffoli
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2019
• Subjects: geo; envir; Antarctic; Pancake; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Sea ice; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-41-2019; https://www.the-cryosphere.net/13/41/2019/tc-13-41-2019.pdf; https://doaj.org/article/8042f70cc41e40d0a2b5e5343d93f035

The size distribution of pancake ice floes is calculated from images acquired during a voyage to the Antarctic marginal ice zone in the winter expansion season. Results show that 50 % of the sea ice area is made up of floes with diameters of 2.3–4 m. The floe size distribution shows two distinct slopes on either side of the 2.3–4 m range, neither of which conforms to a power law. Following a relevant recent study, it is conjectured that the growth of pancakes from frazil forms the distribution of small floes (D<2.3 m), and welding of pancakes forms the distribution of large floes (D>4 m).