Wind impact on sea ice motion in the Arctic

Abstract: In order to examine how the wind at 10 m above the surface influences the sea ice motion in the Arctic Ocean, a correlation coefficient between wind and ice drift, an angle between wind direction and ice velocity and a reduction factor of the ice speed relative to the wind speed were calculated, using statistical methods. This was done on a 10 km by 10 km grid, for both winter, January to March, and summer, July to September, with data from 2014 and 2015. The ice displacement data originated from satellite measurements and the wind velocity data were obtained from a reanalysis made by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. It was found that the correlation coefficient, that is the fraction of the ice motion that is caused by the wind, was higher in the winter (up to 90 %) than in the summer (up to 70 %). The correlation coefficient, as well as the speed reduction factor, was larger in areas not near any coasts, and where the sea ice concentration is not 100 %. The ice movement was directed to the right of the wind velocity in most parts of the Arctic Ocean.