Climate change is affecting sea ice extent and thickness in the Arctic, which disproportionately affects coastal Alaskan communities. Thus, understanding relationships between the atmosphere, ice, and ocean in coastal regions is necessary. The effect of spatial variation of fetches on the development of waves in the coastal Arctic was investigated using wave observations from three seafloor moorings, ERA5 atmospheric reanalysis, and NASA Worldview satellite imagery. The results indicate fetch-limited wave growth between mooring locations. Waves are more developed with distance from shore, and correspond to longer fetch lengths, especially for onshore winds. Overall, this indicates that fetch size limits wave growth and drives variability among coastal Arctic locations.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Sangillo, Michelle

Subject

• Water
• Environment

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042524-224354
• 121851

Advisor

• Burnham, Nancy A.

Year

• 2024

Sponsor

• Maddie Smith

Date created

• 2024-04-25

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Physics

Source

• E-project-042524-224354

Rights statement

• In Copyright