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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.10292 |
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| _version_ | 1866917401129385984 |
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| author | Stechmann, Samuel N. Hu, Jiuhua Montemuro, Brandon P. Chen, Nan Manucharyan, Georgy E. Tollar, Evelyn Zhang, Yujia |
| author_facet | Stechmann, Samuel N. Hu, Jiuhua Montemuro, Brandon P. Chen, Nan Manucharyan, Georgy E. Tollar, Evelyn Zhang, Yujia |
| contents | Sea ice is a complex system, and observations have shown that ice segments (i.e., floes) have a wide range of sizes, with a floe size distribution that follows a power law. However, a theory for the power law and its exponent have remained elusive. Here, floe-resolving numerical simulations are investigated with a discrete element model, in order to gain further information by gathering statistics of fracture and welding events. Then, based on the insights from the floe-resolving simulations, a stochastic fragmentation-coagulation theory is proposed. Exact solutions are found with a power law. The power-law exponent can take a variety of values, and it depends on the fracture and welding rates. Such behavior is reminiscent of seasonal changes in the power-law exponent, which have been reported in past analyses of observational data. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_10292 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Power laws in the sea ice floe size distribution: a stochastic theory Stechmann, Samuel N. Hu, Jiuhua Montemuro, Brandon P. Chen, Nan Manucharyan, Georgy E. Tollar, Evelyn Zhang, Yujia Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics Sea ice is a complex system, and observations have shown that ice segments (i.e., floes) have a wide range of sizes, with a floe size distribution that follows a power law. However, a theory for the power law and its exponent have remained elusive. Here, floe-resolving numerical simulations are investigated with a discrete element model, in order to gain further information by gathering statistics of fracture and welding events. Then, based on the insights from the floe-resolving simulations, a stochastic fragmentation-coagulation theory is proposed. Exact solutions are found with a power law. The power-law exponent can take a variety of values, and it depends on the fracture and welding rates. Such behavior is reminiscent of seasonal changes in the power-law exponent, which have been reported in past analyses of observational data. |
| title | Power laws in the sea ice floe size distribution: a stochastic theory |
| topic | Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.10292 |