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Open research questions in Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics

429 gap statements mined from Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,046 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • After removing diurnal fluctuations, the derived depth-specific power-law formulas produce empirical coefficients that vary significantly with depth, indicating that the formulations with constant coefficients are insufficient to represent the observed depth-dependence in this brackish lake ice system, with potential implications for sea ice studies.

    Field Investigation of the Lateral Melting Rate of Ice Layers · 2026 · DOI

  • A lack of understanding of the mechanisms of wave-ice interaction in the marginal ice zone. Limited data on wave attenuation and wave-induced momentum transfer to sea ice in this region. A need for more research on the consequences of wave-ice interaction for sea ice integrity and dynamics.

    An observational study of wave attenuation and wave-induced momentum transfer to sea ice in the marginal ice zone · 2026 · DOI

  • Existing reference measurements are still scarce in the polar regions, even more pronounced in the Antarctic than in the Arctic.

    A first approach towards dual-hemisphere sea ice reference measurements from multiple data sources repurposed for evaluation and product intercomparison of satellite altimetry · 2026 · DOI

  • If this freshening, taking place at least in the surface water, will imply a stronger stability of the Arctic Ocean water column and perhaps limit the vertical mixing in the Arctic Ocean and possibly affect the ice-ocean interactions, remains to be seen.

    The circulation and water mass (trans)formations in the Arctic Mediterranean Sea and their implications for the deep ocean circulation: a narrative · 2026 · DOI

  • The preparation of granular snow ice samples is challenging due to the need to control temperature and pressure conditions. The measurement of flexural strength and fracture toughness is challenging due to the brittle nature of ice. The interpretation of results is challenging due to the complex relationships between flexural strength, fracture toughness, and strain rate.

    An Experimental Investigation of the Flexural Strength and Fracture Toughness of Granular Snow Ice Under a Three-Point Bending Test · 2024 · DOI

  • The mechanical properties of granular snow ice are not well understood. The relationships between flexural strength, fracture toughness, and strain rate are not well established. There is a need to investigate the mechanical properties of granular snow ice to supplement knowledge of ice mechanics.

    An Experimental Investigation of the Flexural Strength and Fracture Toughness of Granular Snow Ice Under a Three-Point Bending Test · 2024 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding of how grain size affects the uniaxial compressive strength of ice. Previous studies have not fully investigated the relationship between wind speed and ice strength.

    Effect of Grain Size on the Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Ice Forming with Different Wind Speeds in a Cold Laboratory · 2024 · DOI

  • Its general applicability in the MIZ remains to be investigated. This effect has not been investigated in detail here.

    Sensible Heat and Momentum Flux in the Sea-Ice-Covered Southern Ocean Based on a Shipborne Observation Experiment · 2026 · DOI

  • Retaining these near-surface observations therefore allows the dataset to resolve meltwater-driven stratification that would otherwise remain poorly documented.

    Hydrographic CTD profiles capturing the onset of near-surface stratification in Southwest Greenland fjords during two consecutive spring 2025 field campaigns · 2026 · DOI

  • This dampening means that although internal waves were generated by wind-driven ice movement, direct wind forcing was insufficient to erode the preexisting stratification under full sea ice cover.

    Upper-ocean variability in the Amundsen Basin of the Arctic Ocean during early winter: Insights from the MOSAiC expedition · 2026 · DOI

  • As a novel forecasting method, the structural advantages of deep learning remain to be fully explored.

    Benchmarking architectures of deep learning-based models for sea ice concentration and thickness spatiotemporal prediction · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the interactions of Ku- and Ka-band radar waves with snow and sea ice are not fully understood, demanding further research effort before we can take full advantage of the CRISTAL observations.

    Anticipating CRISTAL: an exploration of multi-frequency satellite altimeter snow depth estimates over Arctic sea ice, 2018–2023 · 2026 · DOI

  • To address research gaps in understanding Arctic Amplification, we use data from ERA5 and sea ice concentration to examine the seasonal, spatial and decadal evolutuion of Arctic 2-meter and lower tropospheric temperatures and lower tropospheric (surface to 850 hPa) static stability over the past 45 years.

    The observed evolution of Arctic amplification over the past 45 years · 2026 · DOI

  • While macroporosity has been observed in field and laboratory studies, data are sparse and a concise theory of its evolution is lacking.

    Bounds on the initial macroporosity of sea ice pressure ridges · 2025 · DOI

  • This suggests pond drainage terms should be investigated as a likely explanation.

    Formation and fate of freshwater on an ice floe in the Central Arctic · 2025 · DOI

  • Validity of this assumption, particularly its lower spatial limit, remains poorly understood.

    Scale invariance in kilometer-scale sea ice deformation · 2025 · DOI

  • Sea-ice thickness, though critical to our understanding of sea-ice variability, remains relatively understudied compared to surface sea-ice parameters in the Southern Ocean.

    An assessment of Antarctic sea-ice thickness in CMIP6 simulations with comparison to the satellite-based observations and reanalyses · 2025 · DOI

  • RILEs are not well understood and it is currently impossible to predict their occurrence a season to several years ahead.

    Seasonality and scenario dependence of rapid Arctic sea ice loss events in CMIP6 simulations · 2025 · DOI

  • It also underscores the need for further investigation into the individual contributions of atmospheric and oceanic drivers to sea-ice lead formation in the Antarctic.

    Southern Ocean sea-ice leads: first insights into regional lead patterns, seasonality, and trends, 2003–2023 · 2025 · DOI

  • While Arctic sea ice is becoming younger and smoother, this raises questions about how these changes affect melt pond characteristics, as the effect of ice deformation features, such as pressure ridges, on pond development on large spatial scales remains insufficiently understood.

    Characterizing sea ice melt pond fraction and geometry in relation to surface morphology · 2025 · DOI

  • The radar freeboard height does not account for delayed radar wave propagation in the snow cover.

    Empirical evidence of overestimated Ku-band sea ice radar freeboards in satellite altimetry · 2026 · DOI

  • Our ability to collect those measurements has hitherto been limited by the high cost and large size of existing autonomous snow measurement systems.

    SnoTATOS: a low-cost, autonomous system for distributed snow depth measurements on sea ice · 2025 · DOI

  • The tile-wise results further show that the VV NRCS-incidence angle responses of the retained tiles are not limited to a single monotonic pattern, but include several types, response…

    A coherent two-interface scattering model for Bohai Sea ice observed by C-band SAR · 2026 · DOI

  • Along the transect of the SAS2021 expedition, we observed a sharp drop in radionuclide concentrations in the surface layer between the Amundsen and the Makarov Basins, directly at the Lomonosov Ridge.

    Changes in water mass composition and circulation in the central Arctic Ocean between 2011 and 2021 inferred from tracer observations · 2025 · DOI

  • Investigating the variation in compressive strength at higher strain rates. Studying the effect of wind speed on ice strength in different temperature environments.

    Effect of Grain Size on the Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Ice Forming with Different Wind Speeds in a Cold Laboratory · 2024 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) A lack of understanding of the mechanisms of wave-ice interaction in the marginal ice zone (“An observational study of wave attenuation and wave-induced momentum transfer…”, 2026); (2) Existing reference measurements are still scarce in the polar regions, even more pronounced in the Antarctic than in the Arctic (“A first approach towards dual-hemisphere sea ice reference measurements from…”, 2026); (3) Its general applicability in the MIZ remains to be investigated (“Sensible Heat and Momentum Flux in the Sea-Ice-Covered Southern Ocean Based on…”, 2026); (4) As a novel forecasting method, the structural advantages of deep learning remain to be fully explored (“Benchmarking architectures of deep learning-based models for sea ice…”, 2026); (5) While macroporosity has been observed in field and laboratory studies, data are sparse and a concise theory of its evolution is lacking (“Bounds on the initial macroporosity of sea ice pressure ridges”, 2025). 429 gap statements have been mined from Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,046 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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