Columnar sea ice grows with an interface of tiny parallel ice plates, the distance of which is known as plate spacing. While it has been proposed as a fundamental microstructure scale of sea ice, the physics behind its formation has not been fully understood. Here the problem is analysed on the basis of morphological stability theory to propose a model that results in a physically consistent prediction of the relationship between the plate spacing a0 and growth velocity V. The relationship may be divided into two regimes. In the diffusive regime, for V above ≈2 × 10−4 cm s−1 one finds a0 ~ V−2/3 to first order. In the convective regime, the extent of diffusive boundary layer is controlled by solutal convection near the interface, which leads to the proportionality a0 ~ V−1/3. From a comparison to observations it is evident that the plate spacing is predictable over 5 orders of magnitude in the growth velocity, covering the range from fast laboratory ice growth to slow accretion at the bottom of marine ice shelves. The predictability opens new paths towards concise modelling of marine and sea-ice microstructure and physical properties.

中文翻译：

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海冰的板块间距

柱状海冰生长在微小平行冰板的界面上，它们之间的距离称为板间距。虽然它被提议作为海冰的基本微观结构尺度，但其形成背后的物理原理尚未完全了解。这里基于形态稳定性理论分析问题，提出一个模型，该模型可以对板间距之间的关系进行物理一致的预测一种0和增长速度五. 这种关系可以分为两种制度。在扩散状态下，对于五以上≈2×10-4厘米-1一个发现一种0~五-2/3到第一顺序。在对流状态下，扩散边界层的范围由界面附近的溶质对流控制，这导致了比例性一种0~五-1/3. 从与观测的比较可以看出，板块间距的增长速度可预测超过 5 个数量级，涵盖了从实验室冰快速生长到海洋冰架底部缓慢吸积的范围。可预测性为海洋和海冰微观结构和物理特性的简明建模开辟了新途径。