Near-field flow interactions govern local ice melting dynamics

While iceberg models typically parameterize global melt rates, the impacts of flow fields on localized ice melting are not captured by current models. In this work, ice cylinders are used to isolate flow separation and wake effects that drive melting via local heat transfer. Experiments reveal that melt rates vary spatially due to near-field flows driven by geometry and cross-flow velocity. Melting is higher where flow is attached and lower in flow recirculation regions, delineated by a flow separation point. For ice in proximity, individual wakes become coupled and lead to gap-dependent effects, hindering plume separation and reducing local melt rates.