Observation of wave propagation over 1,000 km into Antarctica winter pack ice

A drifting wave-ice buoy (Medusa-766) was deployed at the Lützow-Holm Bay (LHB) marginal ice zone in Antarctica during the 63rd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition to study the wave influence on the unstable LHB fast ice. Medusa-766 survived the Antarctic winter as it was located deep in the ice cover with the shortest distance to the ice-free Southern Ocean over 1,000 km; at this time, there was evidence of 8-cm-height wave signal at the buoy position. Using the the ECMWF’s reanalysis wave data, we show that the incoming waves were likely 4-m waves that were generated by an extratropical cyclone in the Southern Ocean. Wave-induced ice breakup potential for this event could extend hundreds of kilometres into the ice field. When Medusa-766 was in LHB in the summer months, it did not detect sizable wave energy despite the low sea ice concentration extent even during on-ice wave events. Understanding the wave attenuation characteristics is needed to elucidate the ocean wave effect to the unstable LHB fast ice. The success of Medusa-766 demonstrates the robustness of the general design and the high sensitivity of the sensor used, which is promising for future LHB wave–ice interaction research.