Large eddy simulation and laboratory experiments of ice melting in steady currents and surface waves

It is well-known that global warming has accelerated ice melting in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, contributing to the rise of sea level. This study employs laboratory experiments to investigate the melting process of a rectangular ice floe in current flows and periodic waves. In addition, a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model combined with the enthalpy method is used to compute the melt rates of an isolated ice floe in steady currents over a wide range of velocities (0.02–0.30 m/s). The simulation results are validated against laboratory data. Experimental findings indicate that melt rates in current flows are proportional to the flow velocity but are lower than those observed in periodic waves. The front melt rate of the ice floe is greater than the thickness and rear melt rates under the same velocity. The unstably stratified flow in the wake region of the ice floe enhances the turbulent mixing between the meltwater and ambient water, dissipating the temperature stratification at a distance of about three times the floe's length. Furthermore, the mass change rate and basal melt rate of ice floe can be predicted using a bulk parameterization model for a wide range of current velocities.