Award Abstract # 0631677
Collaborative Research: Atlantic Air-Sea Fluxes from Satellites, Their Variability and Analysis of Ocean Models

NSF Org: AGS
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Recipient: TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS CHRISTI
Initial Amendment Date: November 30, 2006
Latest Amendment Date: December 2, 2008
Award Number: 0631677
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: Anjuli Bamzai
AGS
 Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: December 1, 2006
End Date: November 30, 2011 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $119,834.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $124,834.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2007 = $37,484.00
FY 2008 = $44,107.00

FY 2009 = $43,243.00
History of Investigator:
  • Alberto Mestas-Nunez (Principal Investigator)
    alberto.mestas-nunez@utsa.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
6300 OCEAN DR UNIT 5739
CORPUS CHRISTI
TX  US  78412-5739
(361)825-2730
Sponsor Congressional District: 27
Primary Place of Performance: Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
6300 OCEAN DR UNIT 5739
CORPUS CHRISTI
TX  US  78412-5739
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
27
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): Y3RET2XN41S5
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Climate & Large-Scale Dynamics
Primary Program Source: app-0107 
01000809DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT

01000910DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): OTHR, SMET, 0000, 9178, 9251
Program Element Code(s): 574000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

This study will lead to the construction of a data-based estimate of the net surface heat flux for the Atlantic sector (45S-45N) for the years 1992-current and a corresponding examination of the ocean mixed layer heat budget. It will rely primarily on satellite data to detect sub-monthly to daily fluctuations at oceanic meso-scale. Interactions between fluctuating surface heating and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) have been implicated as a primary cause in tropical Atlantic variability, the ocean's role in the North Atlantic Oscillation, decadal changes in storm production, as well as in decadal-centennial climate change. Understanding of the relationship between variations in heat flux and mixed layer properties on short sub-monthly timescales is limited partly because of the lack of heat flux estimates. This study provides observational estimates of key processes known to be involved in regulating the earth's climate as well as new information about processes for which our understanding is limited. These estimates will be made substantially independently of models or in situ observations, and therefore can be used for comparison and calibration. The PIs will compare their individual flux terms to independent estimates provided by a number of flux mooring sites in different regimes.

Broader Impacts. The research will be a challenging scientific problem and will be the basis of at least one dissertation. A byproduct of this work will be familiarity with multi-spectral geostationary data in advance of the launch of such a U.S. satellite. This should allow the PIs to contribute to the improvement of future satellite designs. Interaction with the public will involve presentations through the University of Maryland's outreach activities and through the Internet. The University of Maryland team participates in programs that promote advancement of underrepresented groups. The Miami and Corpus Christi universities have several student interns from minority-serving institutions year around.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

Note:  When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a charge during the embargo (administrative interval).

Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from this site.

Santorelli, A; Pinker, RT; Bentamy, A; Katsaros, KB; Drennan, WM; Mestas-Nunez, AM; Carton, JA "Differences between two estimates of air-sea turbulent heat fluxes over the Atlantic Ocean" JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS , v.116 , 2011 View record at Web of Science 10.1029/2010JC00692

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.

Print this page

Back to Top of page