| NSF Org: |
OCE Division Of Ocean Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 16, 2010 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 16, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1030922 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Eric C. Itsweire
OCE Division Of Ocean Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2010 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2016 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $880,904.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $880,904.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1500 SW JEFFERSON AVE CORVALLIS OR US 97331-8655 (541)737-4933 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1500 SW JEFFERSON AVE CORVALLIS OR US 97331-8655 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): | |
| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
The project addresses the circulation and dynamics processes that occur between the continental shelf and adjacent ocean off the Oregon coast, using a suite of numerical modeling approaches. Process oriented modeling, data analyses, and variational data assimilation will be used to investigate the exchanges across the coastal transition zone. Use will be made of extensive, existing data sets to constrain the numerical modeling, which in turn will be used to investigate the transports and exchanges between the coastal and open ocean. Various combinations of observational data will be used in the assimilation experiments to assess their utility. The project has the potential to achieve transformative results in our understanding of how data can be used to improve numerical modeling in the coastal zone.
The project addresses fundamental questions regarding the circulation patterns of the shelf, slope, and adjacent open ocean. It therefore has indirect broader impacts on other fields of oceanography including the dynamics relevant to the hypoxia zone off the Oregon coast. The project is also a natural extension of previous observational and modeling work for the region. The series of modeling and assimilation experiments are highly relevant to the ongoing development and eventual implementation of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI).
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
We have developed and utilized for analysis comprehensive three-dimensional ocean circulation models to understand influences of oceanic processes at the basin, regional, and coastal scales. Multiyear simulations of coastal currents along the entire US West Coast allowed us understanding differences in shelf circulation and hydrography between different years influenced by such basin-scale phenomena as El Niño. Extensive data sets have been used to verify model performance, including sea level and surface temperature from satellites, vertical cross-shore sections of temperature and salinity from autonomous underwater vehicles - gliders, and surface currents over the shelf and continental slope measured remotely by a network of coast-based high frequency (HF) radars.
As part of this project we have tested methods for model-observation synthesis (data assimilation). These tests showed impact of various observations on accuracy of model predictions, guiding future development of coastal ocean forecast systems that will predict currents, temperature and other oceanic properties in support of search and rescue, oil spill and marine debris response, navigation, and fisheries.
Pilot coastal ocean forecast systems have been developed and supported using methodologies developed in this project. One of these systems, which is now a part of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (nanoos.org), has provided everyday updates of 3 day forecasts of oceanic conditions off Oregon and Washington. These forecasts have been popular among local fishermen who used information on currents and temperature fronts to guide their operations.
This project allowed us train a new generation of coastal oceanographers. Our model solutions and analyses have been utilized by a number of undergraduate students whose interest has turned to envionrmental studies.
Last Modified: 12/02/2016
Modified by: Alexander L Kurapov
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