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photo: pancake ice; grey ice and nilas (Environment Canada)
Predominantly circular pieces of ice from 30 cm - 3 m in diameter, and up to about 10 cm in thickness, with raised rims due to the pieces striking against one other. It may be formed on a slight swell from Grease ice, Shuga or Slush or as a result of the breaking of Ice rind, Nilas or, under severe conditions of swell or waves, of Grey ice. It also sometimes forms at some depth, at an interface between water bodies of different physical characteristics, from where it floats to the surface; its appearance may rapidly cover wide areas of water.