Wind-induced ice floe rotation and icequakes north of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea Coast

Linear sea ice canopy fractures (leads) and ice floe rotation appear to be interrelated. This study focused on a highly persistent storm wind event. As the wind stress increased over the ice pack, a separate rotation threshold for four floe‐attached buoys was observed. The northwesternmost buoy recorded the start of clockwise ice‐floe rotation just as hydrophones recorded increased oceanic ambient noise. Several days later, when the surface wind speeds and computed stress at all four buoys dropped to ∼60% and e−1 of their respective peak storm values, a counterclockwise rotation began at each buoy with a concomitant impulsive ambient noise peak. The rotationally‐induced “noise bursts” are called icequakes in an analogy with earthquakes.