| Term: | Pancake ice |
| Definition: |
Circular flat pieces of ice with a raised rim; the shape and rim are due to repeated collisions. NOAAHydrology
Pieces of new ice approximately circular, up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) thick and 0.03 to 3 meters (0.1 to 9.8 feet) in diameter, with raised edges that form from rubbing against each other; formed from the freezing together of grease ice, slush or shuga, or the reaking up of ice rind or nilas. NSIDCCryosphere Predominantly circular pieces of ice from 30cm3m in diameter, and up to 10cm in thickness (unrafted), with raised rims due to the pieces striking against one another. It may be formed on a slight swell from grease ice, shuga or slush or as the result of the breaking of ice rind, nilas or, under severe conditions of swell or waves, of grey ice. A common process of sea ice development in the Antarctic is 'the pancake cycle'. The pancakes start with a diameter of tens of centimetres, but through wind and wave action they aggregate with loose frazil crystals to increase in diameter, and raft with other pancakes to increase in thickness. In this manner the pancakes can rapidly grow to a few metres in diameter and up to 1 m thick. Eventually the pancakes can freeze together into larger floes or a consolidated ice cover. ASPECT2012 In hydrologic terms, circular flat pieces of ice with a raised rim; the shape and rim are due to repeated collisions. NOAA-NWS Predominantly circular pieces of ice from 1 to 10 ft (30 cm-3 m) in diameter and up to about 4 in (- 10 cm) in thickness, with raised rims due to the pieces striking against one another. It may be formed on a slight swell from grease ice, shuga, or slush, or as a result of the breaking of ice rind, nilas, or, under severe conditions of swell or waves, of gray ice. Sometimes pancake ice forms at some depth, at an interface between water bodies of different physical characteristics, from where it floats to the surface; it may cover wide areas of water rapidly. WMOSeaIce Predominantly circular plates of ice from 30 cm to 3 m in diameter, and up to about 10 cm in thickness, with raised rims due to the pieces striking against one another. It may be formed on a slight swell from grease ice, shuga or slush or as a result of the breaking of ice rind, nilas or, under heavy swell, of grey ice. Bushuyev Sea ice terminology. Describes (predominantly) circular pieces of ice that are 30 cm to 3 m in diameter and up to 10 cm in thickness, which have raised rims due to the pieces striking against one another. Pancake ice may form on a slight swell from grease ice, shuga or slush, or as a result of the breaking of ice rind, nilas or, under severe conditions of swell or waves, from grey ice. ECCCanada Pieces of newly-formed ice, usually approximately circular and with raised rims due to pieces striking against each other. WMOHydrology Roughly circular accumulations of frazil ice, usually less than about 3 m in diameter, with raised rims caused by collisions. This form of ice is common in the Antarctic. Pancake ice may develop from grease ice or shuga. AMSglossary Pieces of new ice usually approximately circular, about 30 cm to 3 m across, and with raised rims due to the pieces striking against each other. Formed from the freezing together of grease ice, slush or shuga, or the breaking up of ice rind or nilas. SPRI GCW |