Obtain wave attenuation rates and floe size distributions to enable model comparison

Derive the local wave attenuation rate within the ice and characterize the floe size distribution in the observed Marginal Ice Zone conditions to permit quantitative comparison with theoretical attenuation models, such as those developed for pancake floe fields.

Background

To compare observations of collision-driven dissipation with theoretical models, such as Shen et al. (1998), one must know the local wave attenuation rate and the floe size distribution. The authors note that their current dataset does not contain sufficient information to make this comparison.

They emphasize the need for additional measurements or instrumentation enhancements to extract these parameters, which are crucial for validating or calibrating attenuation models under realistic MIZ conditions.