Abstract:

Experiments of regional sea ice-ocean coupled simulation are designed to study effects of sea ice rheology by using of the numerical model MITgcm developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Basing on simulation results, comparative analyses of effects of two rheology schemes, one is viscous-plastic rheology and another is elastic-viscous-plastic rheology, are carried out. It’s shown that, the major distribution patterns of components of internal stress σ11 and σ22 are similar in results of both schemes. In winter, the major areas with comparatively large values emerge mostly in ocean near lands north of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland and east of Greenland. In summer, the major areas with comparatively large values emerge mostly north of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland. There are big differences inσ12, which giving contribution to apparent differences in the force of sea ice interaction. The difference vector in sea ice interaction force shows anti-clockwise and clockwise features in the Beaufort Sea and the inner part of the Arctic Ocean respectively, which leading to similar features in difference of sea ice currents in the two places.

Key words: sea ice simulation