#O02 Icebergs in MPAS-Seaice

Abstract

Icebergs represent approximately half of the mass flux from the Antarctic ice sheet to the ocean, with basal melting representing the other half. Calved icebergs transport freshwater away from the coast and exchange heat with the ocean, thereby affecting stratification and circulation, with subsequent indirect thermodynamic effects to the sea ice system. Icebergs also have a direct effect on sea ice through dynamic interaction, and occupy space that becomes unavailable for sea ice. Antarctic ice shelves have dynamic boundaries, advancing into the ocean and retreating through calving events, which also affects the availability of open ocean for sea ice. We are developing a parameterization for icebergs to be implemented in MPAS-Seaice, based upon an existing implementation in CICE, in two frameworks: Lagrangian and Eulerian. The Lagrangian framework will allow us to forecast trajectories of particular bergs, useful in 'giant' berg events, while the Eulerian framework allows us to model a realistic population of Antarctic icebergs without the computational expense of individual particle tracking.