CICE

CICE is the Los Alamos sea-ice model, a dynamic-thermodynamic model widely used as the sea-ice component in coupled climate and ocean forecast systems. It carries an ice-thickness distribution across several categories, elastic-viscous-plastic ice dynamics, a multilayer thermodynamic column with brine and a snow cover, and ridging and rafting mechanics. CICE solves momentum on a staggered grid and exchanges heat, freshwater, and momentum fluxes with the ocean and atmosphere. It is the ice model in CESM and in several operational coupled systems, and is now maintained by the CICE Consortium. Its freeboard and concentration outputs support polar route assessment and POLARIS-style ice risk work.