We present a model for wave attenuation in the marginal ice zone (MIZ) based on a two‐dimensional (one horizontal and one vertical dimension) multiple floating elastic plate solution in the frequency domain, which is solved exactly using a matched eigenfunction expansion. The only physical parameters that enter the model are length, mass, and elastic stiffness (of which, the latter two depend primarily on thickness) of the ice floes. The model neglects all nonlinear effects as well as floe collisions or ice creep and is therefore most applicable to floes which are large compared to the thickness and to wave conditions which are not extreme. The solution for a given arrangement of floes is fully coherent, and the results are therefore dependent on the exact geometry. We firstly show that this dependence can be removed by averaging over a distribution of floe lengths (we choose the Rayleigh distribution). We then show that after this averaging, the attenuation coefficient is a function of floe number and independent of floe length, provided the floe lengths are sufficiently large. The model predicts an exponential decay of energy, just as is shown experimentally. This enables us to provide explicit values for the attenuation coefficient, as a function of the average floe thickness and wave period. We compare our theoretical predictions of the wave attenuation with measured data and other scattering models. The limited data allows us to conclude that our model is applicable to large floes for short to medium wave periods (6 to 15 seconds). We also derive a floe breaking model, based on our wave attenuation model, which indicates that we are under‐predicting the attenuation coefficients at long periods.

In situ measurements of ocean surface wave spectra evolution in the Antarctic marginal ice zone are described. Analysis of the measurements shows significant wave heights and peak periods do not vary appreciably in approximately the first 80km of the ice‐covered ocean. Beyond this region, significant wave heights attenuate and peak periods increase. It is shown that attenuation rates are insensitive to amplitudes for long‐period waves but increase with increasing amplitude above some critical amplitude for short‐period waves. Attenuation rates of the spectral components of the wavefield are calculated. It is shown that attenuation rates decrease with increasing wave period. Further, for long‐period waves the decrease is shown to be proportional to the inverse of the period squared. This relationship can be used to efficiently implement wave attenuation through the marginal ice zone in ocean‐scale wave models.

A large collaborative program has studied the coupled air‐ice‐ocean‐wave processes occurring in the Arctic during the autumn ice advance. The program included a field campaign in the western Arctic during the autumn of 2015, with in situ data collection and both aerial and satellite remote sensing. Many of the analyses have focused on using and improving forecast models. Summarizing and synthesizing the results from a series of separate papers, the overall view is of an Arctic shifting to a more seasonal system. The dramatic increase in open water extent and duration in the autumn means that large surface waves and significant surface heat fluxes are now common. When refreezing finally does occur, it is a highly variable process in space and time. Wind and wave events drive episodic advances and retreats of the ice edge, with associated variations in sea ice formation types (e.g., pancakes, nilas). This variability becomes imprinted on the winter ice cover, which in turn affects the melt season the following year.