The marginal ice zone (MIZ) is not a very well-defined term and it is useful for an author to be specific about its meaning when using it. Probably the most accepted definition is that of Wadhams (1986) who describes it as ‘that part of the ice cover which is close enough to the open ocean boundary to be affected by its presence’. This definition has been interpreted as a part of the seasonal ice zone that varies in width and extends from the ice edge into the ice pack, where waves and swells affect the ice; often characterized by highly variable ice conditions; in general, it is wider in the Antarctic than the Arctic. The MIZ is an area of enhanced ice drift, deformation and divergence
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