Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.10292 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
Table of 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.