Ice-Edge Eddies in the Fram Strait Marginal Ice Zone

Five prominent ice-edge eddies in Fram Strait on the scale of 30 to 40 kilometers were observed over deep water within 77° N to 79° N and 5° W to 3° E. The use of remote sensing, a satellite-tracked buoy, and in situ oceanographic measurements showed the presence of eddies with orbital speeds of 30 to 40 centimeters per second and lifetimes of at least 20 days. Ice ablation measurements made within one of these ice-ocean eddies indicated that melting, which proceeded at rates of 20 to 40 centimeters per day, is an important process in determining the ice-edge position. These studies give new insight on the formation, propagation, and dissipation of ice-edge eddies.