NSF Org:	OCE Division Of Ocean Sciences
Recipient:	UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
Initial Amendment Date:	April 20, 2006
Latest Amendment Date:	April 20, 2006
Award Number:	0606657
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Phillip R. Taylor OCE  Division Of Ocean Sciences GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	May 1, 2006
End Date:	April 30, 2008 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$41,682.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$41,682.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2006 = $41,682.00
History of Investigator:	Dian Gifford (Principal Investigator) dgifford@gso.uri.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of Rhode Island 75 LOWER COLLEGE RD RM 103 KINGSTON RI  US  02881-1974 (401)874-2635
Sponsor Congressional District:	02
Primary Place of Performance:	University of Rhode Island 75 LOWER COLLEGE RD RM 103 KINGSTON RI  US  02881-1974
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	02
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	CJDNG9D14MW7
Parent UEI:	NSA8T7PLC9K3
NSF Program(s):	BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
Primary Program Source:	app-0106
Program Reference Code(s):	1308, 4444, EGCH
Program Element Code(s):	165000
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.050

ABSTRACT

The processes linking the ecosystems of Georges Bank, Scotian Shelf, Slope Sea and Gulf of Main to climate variability-induced, basin-scale circulation changes caused by large-scale atmospheric effects such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) appear to occur over both multi-decadal and interannual time scales. This project aims to elucidate how these multi-year changes in circulation within the western North Atlantic basin affect C. finmarchicus, specifically its transport onto Georges Bank. This will be accomplished via a combination of numerical model simulations and observational data.

Primary tasks include: (1) Setting up and running an individual based model (IBM) for the Northwest Atlantic, using physical fields corresponding to the high-NAO (1980-1993) and low-NAO (1962-1971) periods obtained from an ongoing eddy-resolving North Atlantic simulation to understand multidecadal variability of Calanus finmarchicus seeding and production in this region; (2) Performing eddy-resolving basin-scale model simulations during 1988-1999 starting from already existing high-NAO simulations (from an ongoing NASA project) and run the IBM to study the interannual variability of C. finmarchicus seeding and production in this region; (3) Analyzing long-term in-situ physical and biological datasets and satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) along with in-situ physical, biological, and chemical data collected during the GLOBEC core-measurement period (1995-1999) to validate the basin-scale physical and biological fields and develop a broader understanding of C. finmarchicus seeding and production; (4) Generating four-dimensional high-resolution (5-km) physical fields using basin-scale fields and available data during 1993-1999, and running a series of IBM simulations at higher resolution in order to address questions relating ecosystem variability in the study regions to the large-scale fluctuations of the NAO.

Within the GLOBEC synthesis effort, this study will enhance the scientific understanding of large-scale climatic and basin-scale forcing on the regional ecosystem of the NWA/GB region. Two graduate students will be trained. Results will be disseminated in scientific publications and presentations at national conferences while model output and several value-added fields will be made available via a website linked to the GLOBEC Georges Bank website.

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