scholarly journals Simulating intersection angles between conjugate faults in sea ice with different viscous–plastic rheologies

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1167-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Ringeisen ◽  
Martin Losch ◽  
L. Bruno Tremblay ◽  
Nils Hutter

Abstract. Recent high-resolution pan-Arctic sea ice simulations show fracture patterns (linear kinematic features or LKFs) that are typical of granular materials but with wider fracture angles than those observed in high-resolution satellite images. Motivated by this, ice fracture is investigated in a simple uni-axial loading test using two different viscous–plastic (VP) rheologies: one with an elliptical yield curve and a normal flow rule and one with a Coulombic yield curve and a normal flow rule that applies only to the elliptical cap. With the standard VP rheology, it is not possible to simulate fracture angles smaller than 30∘. Further, the standard VP model is not consistent with the behavior of granular material such as sea ice because (1) the fracture angle increases with ice shear strength; (2) the divergence along the fracture lines (or LKFs) is uniquely defined by the shear strength of the material with divergence for high shear strength and convergent with low shear strength; (3) the angle of fracture depends on the confining pressure with more convergence as the confining pressure increases. This behavior of the VP model is connected to the convexity of the yield curve together with use of a normal flow rule. In the Coulombic model, the angle of fracture is smaller (θ=23∘) and grossly consistent with observations. The solution, however, is unstable when the compressive stress is too large because of non-differentiable corners between the straight limbs of the Coulombic yield curve and the elliptical cap. The results suggest that, although at first sight the large-scale patterns of LKFs simulated with a VP sea ice model appear to be realistic, the elliptical yield curve with a normal flow rule is not consistent with the notion of sea ice as a pressure-sensitive and dilatant granular material.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Ringeisen ◽  
Nils Hutter ◽  
Martin Losch ◽  
L. Bruno Tremblay

Abstract. Recent high resolution pan-Arctic sea ice simulations show fracture patterns (Linear Kinematic Features – LKFs) that are typical of granular materials but with intersection (fracture) angles wider than those observed from high-resolution satellite images (with a modal value of θ = 20°). In this article, We investigate the mechanism of formation and parameter dependencies of ice fracture in simple numerical bi-axial test on a 8 km x 25 km ice floe at an unprecedented resolution of 25m for two different yield curves: an elliptical (VP) and a Coulombic yield curve both with normal flow rule. In the standardVP model, the simulated angle of fracture is θ = 33.9°, compared to 20° in observations. The dependence of the angle of fracture on the ice shear strength is also contrary to that of typical granular materials with larger angle of fracture for higher shear strength – think of a wet sand castle with steeper walls than a dry sand castle. In this model, the divergence along the fracture lines (or LKFs) is entirely dictated by the ice shear strength used in the model with high shear strength resulting in convergence along LKFs and low shear strength resulting in divergence along LKFs. This is again contrary to typical granular materials where divergence (or dilation) is linked with the orientation of contacts normals that oppose the flow with divergence present for larger shear resistance and convergence for lower shear resistance. Moreover, the angle of fracture depends on the confining pressure in the uni-axial test with more convergence as the confining pressure increases, again contrary to granular material that have an angle of fracture that is independent of the confining pressure. We note that all three behaviors of the VP model are linked with the use of an associative (normal) flow rule. In the Coulombic model, the angle of fracture is smaller (θ = 23.5°), but the solution is unstable when the compressive stresses are too large because of the discontinuity between the straight limbs of the yield curve and the elliptical capping. Our results show that while the VP model gives angles of fracture that are visually correct, the bias in the magnitude of the angle of fracture and the physical dependencies of the angle of fracture on mechanical strength parameters and stress fields couple the sea ice mechanical strength parameters, the sea-ice drift, sea-ice deformation (strain-rate) field in an inconsistent way. We consider this evidence to move away from the elliptical yield curve and associative (normal) flow rule, a deformation law that is not applicable to pressure-sensitive and dilatant granular material such as sea ice.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Ringeisen ◽  
L. Bruno Tremblay ◽  
Martin Losch

Abstract. The standard viscous-plastic (VP) sea ice model with an elliptical yield curve and normal flow rule does not simulate fracture angles below 30° in uni-axial compression, in stark contrast with observations of Linear Kinematic Features (LKFs) in the Arctic Ocean. In this paper, we remove the normality constraint in the standard VP model and study its impact on the fracture angle in a simple uni-axial compressive loading test. To this end, we introduce a plastic potential independent of the yield curve that defines the post-fracture deformations or flow rule. The numerical experiments show that the fracture angle strongly depends on the flow rule details. For instance, a plastic potential with an ellipse aspect ratio smaller than that of the standard ellipse gives fracture angles that are as low as 22°. A newly adapted theory – based on one developed from observations of granular material – predicts numerical simulations of the fracture angles for plastic materials with a normal or non-normal flow rule with a root-mean-square error below 1.3°. Implementing an elliptical plastic potential in the standard VP sea ice model requires only minor modifications. The modified rheology, however, takes longer to solve numerically for a fixed level of numerical convergence. In conclusion, the use of a plastic potential addresses several issues with the standard VP rheology: the fracture angle can be reduced to values within the range of satellite observations and it can be decoupled from the exact shape of the yield curve. Furthermore, a different plastic potential function will be required to change the post-fracture deformation along the fracture lines (convergence or divergence) and to make the fracture angle independent on the confining pressure (as in observations).


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 2873-2888
Author(s):  
Damien Ringeisen ◽  
L. Bruno Tremblay ◽  
Martin Losch

Abstract. The standard viscous–plastic (VP) sea ice model with an elliptical yield curve and a normal flow rule has at least two issues. First, it does not simulate fracture angles below 30∘ in uni-axial compression, in contrast with observations of linear kinematic features (LKFs) in the Arctic Ocean. Second, there is a tight, but unphysical, coupling between the fracture angle, post-fracture deformation, and the shape of the yield curve. This tight coupling was identified as the reason for the overestimation of fracture angles. In this paper, these issues are addressed by removing the normality constraint on the flow rule in the standard VP model. The new rheology is tested in numerical uni-axial loading tests. To this end, an elliptical plastic potential – which defines the post-fracture deformations, or flow rule – is introduced independently of the elliptical yield curve. As a consequence, the post-fracture deformation is decoupled from the mechanical strength properties of the ice. We adapt Roscoe's angle theory, which is based on observations of granular materials, to the context of sea ice modeling. In this framework, the fracture angles depend on both yield curve and plastic potential parameters. This new formulation predicts accurately the results of the numerical experiments with a root-mean-square error below 1.3∘. The new rheology allows for angles of fracture smaller than 30∘ in uni-axial compression. For instance, a plastic potential with an ellipse aspect ratio smaller than 2 (i.e., the default value in the standard viscous–plastic model) can lead to fracture angles as low as 22∘. Implementing an elliptical plastic potential in the standard VP sea ice model requires only small modifications to the standard VP rheology. The momentum equations with the modified rheology, however, are more difficult to solve numerically. The independent plastic potential solves the two issues with VP rheology addressed in this paper: in uni-axial loading experiments, it allows for smaller fracture angles, which fall within the range of satellite observations, and it decouples the angle of fracture and the post-fracture deformation from the shape of the yield curve. The orientation of the post-fracture deformation along the fracture lines (convergence and divergence), however, is still controlled by the shape of the plastic potential and the location of the stress state on the yield curve. A non-elliptical plastic potential would be required to change the orientation of deformation and to match deformation statistics derived from satellite measurements.


1990 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 340
Author(s):  
Bill Ip ◽  
W.D. Hibler ◽  
Greg Flato

On the seasonal time scales relevant to numerical investigations of climate, the rheology used in large-scale sea ice models significantly affects the ice thickness build-up and ice velocity fields. Plastic rheologies with a normal flow rule have been used to-date in seasonal dynamic thermodynamic simulations. These rheologies have proved useful in simulating discontinuous slip near the coast while still supplying relatively robust velocity fields in the central Arctic Basin. However, as indicated by limited numerical sensitivity studies with different types of elliptical yield curves, the amount of shear strength significantly affects the ice build-up and can possibly cause a stoppage of the ice outflow through Fram Strait. In addition to the shear strength issue, there is also the possibility that non-normal flow rule rheologies, such as the Mohr Coulomb failure criterion used in soil mechanics, may cause somewhat different types of flow patterns, especially in the Fram Strait region. However, to date no seasonal simulations with such non-normal flow rule rheologies have been carried out. In order to investigate the role of different rheologies on the large-scale flow patterns in the Arctic Basin, a more general numerical scheme than that of Hibler (1979) is developed, which allows the simulation of the dynamic thermodynamic behavior of sea ice with a wide variety of different non linear rheologies. Using this numerical scheme, comparative simulations are carried out to seasonal equilibrium with several variations of the Mohr Coulomb rheology and compared to the more standard Elliptical yield curve results. In particular, the main control Mohr Coulomb case is a capped rheology in which the shear strength is taken to be proportional to the compressive stress. In this capped case only shear flow is allowed until a maximum allowable compressive stress is reached. This cap strength is parameterized to be a function of the ice thickness and compactness. For comparison, a simulation with a very large cap strength is also carried out, and an experiment with a similar compressive cap but much lower shear strength. Overall the results are analyzed to determine the sensitivity of the ice build-up to flow rule and shear strength magnitude. In addition special attention is given to the character of the flow and stoppage (if any) through Fram Strait.


1990 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 340-340
Author(s):  
Bill Ip ◽  
W.D. Hibler ◽  
Greg Flato

On the seasonal time scales relevant to numerical investigations of climate, the rheology used in large-scale sea ice models significantly affects the ice thickness build-up and ice velocity fields. Plastic rheologies with a normal flow rule have been used to-date in seasonal dynamic thermodynamic simulations. These rheologies have proved useful in simulating discontinuous slip near the coast while still supplying relatively robust velocity fields in the central Arctic Basin. However, as indicated by limited numerical sensitivity studies with different types of elliptical yield curves, the amount of shear strength significantly affects the ice build-up and can possibly cause a stoppage of the ice outflow through Fram Strait. In addition to the shear strength issue, there is also the possibility that non-normal flow rule rheologies, such as the Mohr Coulomb failure criterion used in soil mechanics, may cause somewhat different types of flow patterns, especially in the Fram Strait region. However, to date no seasonal simulations with such non-normal flow rule rheologies have been carried out.In order to investigate the role of different rheologies on the large-scale flow patterns in the Arctic Basin, a more general numerical scheme than that of Hibler (1979) is developed, which allows the simulation of the dynamic thermodynamic behavior of sea ice with a wide variety of different non linear rheologies. Using this numerical scheme, comparative simulations are carried out to seasonal equilibrium with several variations of the Mohr Coulomb rheology and compared to the more standard Elliptical yield curve results. In particular, the main control Mohr Coulomb case is a capped rheology in which the shear strength is taken to be proportional to the compressive stress. In this capped case only shear flow is allowed until a maximum allowable compressive stress is reached. This cap strength is parameterized to be a function of the ice thickness and compactness. For comparison, a simulation with a very large cap strength is also carried out, and an experiment with a similar compressive cap but much lower shear strength. Overall the results are analyzed to determine the sensitivity of the ice build-up to flow rule and shear strength magnitude. In addition special attention is given to the character of the flow and stoppage (if any) through Fram Strait.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1161-1179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alek A. Petty ◽  
Michel C. Tsamados ◽  
Nathan T. Kurtz ◽  
Sinead L. Farrell ◽  
Thomas Newman ◽  
...  

Abstract. We present an analysis of Arctic sea ice topography using high-resolution, three-dimensional surface elevation data from the Airborne Topographic Mapper, flown as part of NASA's Operation IceBridge mission. Surface features in the sea ice cover are detected using a newly developed surface feature picking algorithm. We derive information regarding the height, volume and geometry of surface features from 2009 to 2014 within the Beaufort/Chukchi and Central Arctic regions. The results are delineated by ice type to estimate the topographic variability across first-year and multi-year ice regimes. The results demonstrate that Arctic sea ice topography exhibits significant spatial variability, mainly driven by the increased surface feature height and volume (per unit area) of the multi-year ice that dominates the Central Arctic region. The multi-year ice topography exhibits greater interannual variability compared to the first-year ice regimes, which dominates the total ice topography variability across both regions. The ice topography also shows a clear coastal dependency, with the feature height and volume increasing as a function of proximity to the nearest coastline, especially north of Greenland and the Canadian Archipelago. A strong correlation between ice topography and ice thickness (from the IceBridge sea ice product) is found, using a square-root relationship. The results allude to the importance of ice deformation variability in the total sea ice mass balance, and provide crucial information regarding the tail of the ice thickness distribution across the western Arctic. Future research priorities associated with this new data set are presented and discussed, especially in relation to calculations of atmospheric form drag.


2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wieslaw Maslowski ◽  
William H. Lipscomb

Author(s):  
C. U. Hyun ◽  
H. C. Kim

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> In order to observe and record conditions of the sea ice efficiently and specifically during in-situ investigation with the support of icebreaker research vessel (IBRV), the very-high-resolution (VHR) imaging systems have been used in recent past. The VHR images are generally acquired lower altitude than cloud height, therefore, the images can be acquired even in unfavourable weather conditions for optical satellite image acquisition, and can be applied to comparison with various kinds of remote sensing datasets. However, producing mosaicked image using the VHR images have suffered from drift of sea ice. The sea ice drift interrupts simultaneous geotagging in overall study area as geographic locations of sea ice moves continuously; therefore, the mosaicked image generated from improperly geotagged individual image depicts a scene of ambiguous time. In this study, we present a case study of VHR sea ice image acquisition using a helicopter equipped with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) geotagging and imaging sensors with a support of IBRV Araon in East Siberian Sea, Arctic Ocean. We also propose an image mosaicking strategy using the improperly geotagged VHR images acquired over drifting sea ice to decrease temporal and spatial ambiguity.</p>


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