Upper-Ocean Turbulence Structure and Ocean-Ice Drag Coefficient Estimates Using an Ascending Microstructure Profiler During the MOSAiC Drift

Sea ice mediates the transfer of momentum, heat, and gas between the atmosphere and the ocean. However, the under-ice boundary layer is not sufficiently constrained by observations. During the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of the Arctic Climate (MOSAiC), we collected profiles in the upper 50-80 m using a new ascending vertical microstructure profiler, resolving the turbulent structure within 1 m to the ice. We analyzed 167 dissipation rate profiles collected between February and mid-September 2020, from 89 degrees N to 79 degrees 30 ' N through the Amundsen Basin, Nansen Basin, Yermak Plateau, and Fram Strait. Measurements covered a broad range of forcing (0-15 m s(-1) wind and 0-0.4 m s(-1) drift speeds) and sea ice conditions (pack ice, thin ice, and leads). Dissipation rates varied by over 4 orders of magnitude from 10(-9) W kg(-1) below 40 m to above 10(-5) W kg(-1) at 1 m. Following wind events, layers with dissipation O(10-6 )W kg(-1) extended down to 20 m depth under pack ice. In leads in the central Arctic, turbulence was enhanced 2-10 times relative to thin ice profiles. Under-ice dissipation profiles allowed us to estimate the boundary layer thickness (4 +/- 2 m), and the friction velocity (1-15 mm s(-1), 4.7 mm s(-1) on average). A representative range of drag coefficient for the MOSAiC sampling site was estimated to (4-6) x 10(-3), which is a typical value for Arctic floe observations. The average ratio of drift speed to wind speed was close to the free-drift ratio of 2% with no clear seasonal or regional variability.

Automated summary

Sea ice plays a crucial role in the exchange of momentum, heat, and gas between the atmosphere and the ocean. By collecting and analyzing data in the Arctic, researchers were able to estimate parameters such as boundary layer thickness, friction velocity, and drag coefficient.