A quasi-objective single-buoy approach for understanding Lagrangian coherent structures and sea ice dynamics

Abstract. Sea ice drift and deformation, namely sea dynamics, play a significant role in atmosphere–ice–ocean coupling. Deformation patterns can be observed over wide range of spatial temporal scales, though high-resolution objective quantification these features remains difficult. In an effort to better understand local deformation ice, we adapt the trajectory-stretching exponents (TSEs), quasi-objective measures Lagrangian stretching continuous media, buoy data develop analysis TSE time series. Our work expands on previous ocean current studies that have shown TSEs provide approximation coherent structure diagnostics when only sparse trajectory are available. As do not require multiple buoys, find they expanded use compared with traditional Eulerian buoy-array metrics local-stretching information below length scales possible averaging arrays. We verify ability temporally spatially identify dynamic for three different datasets. The quantify is verified by concurrent fracture neighborhoods ranging from tens hundreds kilometers diameter, as well concurrence storm events.