Scientists Discover Why Arctic Sea Ice Moves in Strange Ways

Topic: Earth Science

Researchers from UC Riverside found that collisions between ice floes explain why Arctic sea ice moves differently than expected. They created a computer model to test this idea and successfully reproduced three observations.

Arctic sea ice is made up of separate slabs called floes, which can range from several meters to several kilometers wide. Wind pushes these floes over the ocean, but scientists have long known that wind alone cannot explain how sea ice moves.

New research led by Bryan Shaddy and Bhargav Rallabandi suggests that collisions between neighboring floes are the key to understanding this phenomenon. They created a computer model that treats floating ice like grains moving through a silo. The simulation includes drag from the ocean as well as repeated collisions among the floes.

The researchers compared their model with real measurements from the Fram Strait, a passage between Greenland and Svalbard. Their model successfully reproduced three observations: how quickly sea ice spreads, the range of speeds at which individual floes move, and how ice motion changes over time.

Why It Matters

Understanding how Arctic sea ice moves is crucial for predicting climate change. If scientists can improve their forecasts, they may be able to better predict where sea ice will end up as the region continues to warm.

Key Facts

• Arctic sea ice is made up of separate slabs called floes, which can range from several meters to several kilometers wide.
• Wind pushes these floes over the ocean, but scientists have long known that wind alone cannot explain how sea ice moves.
• Collisions between neighboring floes are the key to understanding why Arctic sea ice moves differently than expected.
• The researchers created a computer model that successfully reproduced three observations: how quickly sea ice spreads, the range of speeds at which individual floes move, and how ice motion changes over time.
• The study was published in Physical Review Letters on September 10, 2026.

Key Terms

Floes

Separate slabs of sea ice that can range from several meters to several kilometers wide

Physical Review Letters

A scientific journal where the study was published

Implications

Understanding how Arctic sea ice moves is crucial for predicting climate change. If scientists can improve their forecasts, they may be able to better predict where sea ice will end up as the region continues to warm.