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TitleAttenuation of wave energy by nearshore sea ice; Prince Edward Island, Canada
 
AuthorManson, G K; Davidson-Arnott, R G D; Ollerhead, J
SourceJournal of Coastal Research vol. 32, issue 2, 2016 p. 253-263, https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-14-00207.1
Image
Year2016
Alt SeriesEarth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20130306
PublisherCoastal Education and Research Foundation
Documentserial
Lang.English
Mediapaper; on-line; digital
File formatpdf
ProvinceEastern offshore region
NTS1; 2; 3; 10; 11; 12
AreaGulf of St Lawrence
Lat/Long WENS -66.0000 -58.0000 50.0000 46.0000
SubjectsNature and Environment; sediment transport; coastal environment; sea ice; hydrodynamics
Illustrationslocation maps; graphs; tables; charts
ProgramClimate Change Geoscience
Released2015 08 25
AbstractSea ice is widely held to be decreasing in coastal waters where it is known to be effective in attenuating wave energy. This process is critical for understanding nearshore sediment transport and coastal change in ice-infested waters. We explore the attenuation of waves shoaling in nearshore ice using a simple attenuation model, hydrodynamic modelling, field studies, and daily charts of sea ice. The attenuation model is drawn from studies in deep water and modified for shallow water using field measurements. In a simple but common configuration where ice lies in a band onshore and waves enter from open water, the theory that wave energy decays exponentially as waves enter ice appears to hold true in shallow and deep water. The wave energy density in ice relates to the incoming wave energy density, attenuation distance, and an attenuation coefficient related to ice concentration and floe diameter. Much of the variability in measurements is explained by the theory, but substantial uncertainty remains. Prediction potential might be improved with higher resolution wave measurements and modelling, consideration of the rebuilding of attenuated waves in partial ice cover, and separate treatment of new ice. The adapted semiempirical theory is likely generally applicable to ice-infested coastal waters, but field studies in particular environments will be required to calibrate attenuation.
Summary(Plain Language Summary, not published)
Nearshore sea ice is found in zones along shorelines in Atlantic and Arctic Canada. When present, nearshore sea ice is important in controlling the amount of wave energy that a shoreline may experience, and the amount of coastal erosion that may occur. Hydrodynamic modelling is a method to study the physics of water, sea ice and seabed characteristics that interact to control the amount of wave energy that a shoreline may experience. We develop an approach towards understanding the influence of sea ice on waves off the north shore of Prince Edward Island. This approach can potentially be transferred to Canada's Arctic shorelines.
GEOSCAN ID293281

 
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