Modeling Ocean Wave Transfer to Ross Ice Shelf Flexure

Abstract

An efficient mathematical model is presented for predicting the transfer of ocean waves to ice shelf flexure along two-dimensional transects. The model incorporates varying ice shelf thickness and seabed bathymetry profiles, and is able to predict responses of large ice shelves over a broad frequency spectrum. The model is used to generate displacement and strain transfer functions for the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) using geometries from the Bedmap2 data set. The transfer functions are validated against recent observations and used to study the influence of geometrical variations on strain transfer close to the shelf front. Predictions of RIS strain in response to example irregular incident swell and infragravity waves are generated over a wide region, and show similar maximum strains but contrasting spatial strain patterns. The model and results provide a basis for studying destabilizing impacts of ocean waves on the RIS.