Wave Reflection by a Sheet of Sea Ice

The effect of a thin sheet of sea ice, modelled as an elastic plate, on the propagation of surface gravity waves in the ocean has been the subject of extensive study. A classic problem is that of a plane wave obliquely incident from an open ocean of constant finite depth on an ice sheet in the form of a half-plane. This problem was solved using the Wiener-Hopf technique by Evans and Davies [3]. In their report Evans and Davies wrote of part of the solution process “Unfortunately, the determination of the constants... presents enormous computational difficulties...” and ever since their appears to have been a general feeling that the Weiner-Hopf solution to this problem is cumbersome and impractical.