Interplay between linear, dissipative and permanently critical mechanical processes in Arctic sea ice

Abstract

Abstract. Mechanical processes in the Arctic ice pack result in fragmented sea ice cover, the regular geometry of which could be described in main features in terms of the conventional mechanics. However, the size distribution of sea ice floes does not exhibit the random (poissonian-like) statistics and follows the power law typical for self-similar (fractal) structures. The analysis of ice floe oscillations in the frequency range specific for cracking, shearing and stick-slip motion evidences the self-organized dynamics of sea ice fracturing, which manifests itself in scaling distributions of both the discrete energy discharges in fracture events and the recurrence times between that one. So determined space-time-energy self-similarity characterises the ice pack as the non-equilibrium, nonlinear thermodynamic system where the synergic relations are established through conventional long propagating wave/oscillations. The presented experimental data were collected at the Russian ice-research camp "North Pole 35" drifting on the Arctic ice pack in 2008.