This Ice Polygon, picture taken by John Adam, professor of mathematics, in Norfolk in February 2005 when the temperature was 14 degrees, is thought to be a result of wave-ice interaction. So called flexural-gravity waves can break up ice sheets into floes, though usually on larger length scales than shown here. This is possible since the boundary was in the approximate shape of a rectangular enclosure and wave reflections might account for the sometimes hexagonal-looking patterns. This and many more pictures are featured in Adam's Book, "The Math of Nature". 

Phyllis Brown, Editor
College of Sciences Newsletter
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