Construction of an Efficient PIPS Model with an Accurate Plastic Solution for Sea Ice Dynamics

Abstract : LONG-TERM GOALS. Our long-term goals are to develop and implement lead-based sea ice rheologies into a high-resolution multi-category thickness distribution sea ice model that is able to efficiently simulate and predict the initialization and propagation of leads and ridges of sea ice. Our particular interest is to provide such a lead-resolving thickness distribution sea ice model for the Navy s Polar Ice Prediction System (PIPS) for high-resolution large-scale sea ice forecasting. We are also interested in using the model to study the dynamic and thermodynamic sea ice processes that trigger leads and ridges to form and propagate in time and space in relation to atmospheric and oceanic forcing. OBJECTIVES. The Navy s next-generation sea ice model, PIPS 3.0, aims at high-resolution (9-10 km), lead-resolving forecasts of sea ice and ambient noise in most ice-covered regions in the northern hemisphere. To help PIPS to meet such a goal, our task is to develop a new numerical model for sea ice dynamics and give the model to the PIPS model development group at the Naval Postgraduate School. In order to conduct high-resolution, lead-resolving forecasts, this model must be numerically efficient in solving sea ice momentum equations. It must also be able to obtain an accurate plastic solution for ice motion, stress, and deformation, governed by a viscous plastic sea ice rheology (Hibler, 1979). This is because an accurate plastic solution is essential for successfully predicting leads and ridges.