A hybrid Lagrangian-Eulerian numerical model for sea-ice dynamics

A hybrid Lagrangian - Eulerian (HLE) method is developed for sea ice dynamics, which combines the high computational efficiency of finite difference method (FDM) with the high numerical accuracy of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). In this HLE model, the sea ice cover is represented by a group of Lagrangian ice particles with their own thicknesses and concentrations. These ice variables are interpolated to the Eularian gird nodes using the Gaussian interpolation function. The FDM is used to determine the ice velocities at Eulerian grid nodes, and the velocities of Lagrangian ice particles are interpolated from these grid velocities with the Gaussian function also. The thicknesses and concentrations of ice particles are determined based on their new locations. With the HLE numerical model, the ice ridging process in a rectangular basin is simulated, and the simulated results are validated with the analytical solution. This method is also applied to the simulation of sea ice dynamics in a vortex wind field. At last, this HLE model is applied to the Bohai Sea, and the simulated concentration, thickness and velocity match the satellite images and the field observed data well.