| Term: | Fracture |
| Definition: | Any break or rupture through very close pack ice, compact pack ice, consolidated pack ice, fast ice, or a single floe resulting from deformation processes. Fractures may contain brash ice and/or be covered with nilas and/or young ice. Length may vary from a few metres to many kilometres. Fractures, by definition, are narrower than leads and may not aid navigation of surface vessels. |