Well, it's rolling rather fast for some time now. Would be great to have stats on flowing speeds in different depths. Hope our new member Kevin can install some sufficient measurement tools.
Would that I could! Unfortunately, the lab is here primarily for atmospheric research, we don't have all that much to do with the ice directly, although the effect of all that open water on the local weather conditions is dramatic. It's looked like a scene from Mordor out on the Lincoln Sea this spring, with all the plumes of sea smoke rising up wherever there are open patches between the pans. In a normal year when the arches set up properly, the period from February through May is consistently spectacular weather. This year, on the other hand, it was cloudy or foggy more often than not. It's only in the past week or so that the temperatures have risen enough to give us some clear skies.
However, there is a team of researchers from Fisheries and Oceans up here right now studying the ice. They're not tracking the breakup, but rather studying the effects on the ocean's biota (algae, zooplankton and phytoplankton, etc.) of the Arctic-wide transition from multi-year ice to first-year ice.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/atsea-enmer/missions/2018/higharctic-hautarctique-eng.html They've been watching the breakup anxiously, since their camp is located in Black Cliffs Bay, not far from the interface with the active region. We're all hoping they don't suddenly find themselves on a one-way trip down the strait...