From Spinning Sea Ice Floes to Ocean Enstrophy Spectra in the Marginal Ice Zone

Quantifying kinetic energy (KE) and enstrophy transfer, mixing, and dissipation in the Arctic Ocean is key to understanding polar ocean dynamics, which are critical components of the global climate system. However, in ice-covered regions, limited eddy-resolving observations make characterizing KE and enstrophy transfer across scales challenging. Here, we use satellite-derived sea ice floe rotation rates to infer the surface ocean enstrophy spectra in the marginal ice zone. Employing a coarse-graining approach, we treat each floe as a local spatial filter. The method is validated with idealized sea ice–ocean simulations and applied to floe observations in the Beaufort Gyre. Our results reveal steepened spectral slopes at low sea ice concentrations, indicating enhanced mesoscale activity during the spring-to-summer transition. High-resolution simulations support these findings but overestimate enstrophy, highlighting the need for eddy-resolving observations. Our two-dimensional spectral estimates are the first of their kind, providing a scalable approach for mapping under-ice ocean eddy characteristics.