Ice Drift in the Arctic Ocean

Abstract The paper presents results of research based on analysis of historical and present studies of the Arctic ice drift. Current information about Arctic ice drift comes from the scientific expedition organized by the Alfred-Wrgener-Institut Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) from Bremerhaven (Germany) in the Arctic Ocean, as a part of the Multidiscipli-nary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC), coming from the deck of the icebreaker RV “Polarstern”. The main purpose of the article was to collect and illustrate information on the phenomenon of ice drift in the Arctic Ocean, considering data from ongoing research during the MOSAiC expedition. The average movement speed of the icebreaker RV “Polarstern” frozen in Arctic ice during the first three legs of the expedition was over 5 Nm/day, which is characteristic of the current data relating to the speed of the Arctic ice drift in the place of research. On the other hand, the article is popular science, and presents the overall characteristics of Arctic ice drift with an indication of the general directions, and speed of its movement. Ice drift speeds in the Arctic can reach exceptionally high values under favorable conditions. The drift of sea ice reaching at its intensity/intensity values close to the limit (dangerous criterion) in these extreme cases is called the “ice river”. The speed of “ice rivers” can reach up to 1–2 knots, however, in extreme conditions up to 9 knots. Based on data from the AWI, correlation points were identified between the speed of Arctic ice drift and the speed of winds and atmospheric pressure values.