| NSF Org: |
OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 27, 2011 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 27, 2011 |
| Award Number: | 1107277 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
William J. Wiseman, Jr.
OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP) GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2011 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2015 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $409,523.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $409,523.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
266 WOODS HOLE RD WOODS HOLE MA US 02543-1535 (508)289-3542 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
266 WOODS HOLE RD WOODS HOLE MA US 02543-1535 |
| 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): | ANS-Arctic Natural Sciences |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.078 |
ABSTRACT
Preliminary analysis reveals that the Arctic Ocean mixed layer displays a complicated submesoscale structure with significant horizontal density gradients (fronts) and small eddies a few kilometers, or less, in diameter - features that are not resolved
by large-scale numerical models of the Arctic Ocean. Funds are provided to explore the role of submesoscale processes in regulating the climatically-important interactions among the Arctic atmosphere, sea-ice, ocean surface mixed layer and the underlying deeper ocean; a set of essential scientific questions will be addressed: What are the dominant characteristics of submesoscale horizontal density variability in the Arctic Ocean mixed layer? How do submesoscale dynamics in the mixed layer relate to mixed-layer depth and stratification? What mechanisms are responsible for the horizontal density variability in the mixed layer? What vertical motions are associated with submesoscale processes and how do they impact exchanges across the mixed layer? The PIs intend to investigate these aspects of the surface ocean dynamics and thermodynamics by a targeted field experiment accompanied by analysis of recent ocean (temperature, salinity and velocity) and sea-ice measurements, and directed dynamic process studies.
Because submesoscale processes occur on spatial scales that are not explicitly resolved by existing models of the Arctic Ocean, their effects must be parameterized in order to accurately predict the dynamics and mixing environment of the ocean. In order to appropriately parameterize these processes, it is first necessary to understand how they are related to the large scale structure and dynamics of the ocean. This work will provide that basic knowledge, thus allowing future improvements to the models.
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.
The Arctic Ocean links to sea-ice and climate at scales ranging from the large-scale circulation, to mesoscale motions (characterized by horizontal length scales between about 10 and 100 km), to the submesoscale flow field (order 1 km scales). A growing number of theoretical, observational and numerical studies on the mid-latitude, ice-free oceans have demonstrated that submesoscale processes play a fundamental role in upper-ocean lateral and vertical fluxes of heat, mass, momentum and tracers.
Submesoscale dynamics are not resolved or parameterized in existing regional and global numerical models of the Arctic Ocean, although they can have significant climate impact through their control on the transfer of mass, momentum, and energy across and within the mixed layer. Understanding the physics at these scales is necessary for accurate parameterizations, vital for modeling and predicting the state of the Arctic Ocean and climate.
The goal of this observational project study has been to explore properties and dynamics in the surface mixed layer of the Arctic Ocean beneath sea-ice cover, and to investigate the role of submesoscale lateral processes in regulating the climatically-important interactions between the mixed layer and sea ice and the mixed layer and halocline. In order to do this a field experiment to measure the temperature, salinity and velocity of upper-ocean flows under sea ice was designed with new ice-based instrumentation developed and deployed in the Arctic to resolve small-scale ocean flows. The new observations, examined in conjunction with existing observations, were invaluable in revealing the complexity of the upper Arctic Ocean.
A key finding is that small-scale surface layer flows have weaker energy in the Arctic (for a variety of sea-ice states) compared to in the mid-latitude ice-free oceans. This is of essential relevance to parameterizing these flows in numerical models. We have applied our new understanding of the dynamics of the upper ocean to an interpretation of Pacific water propagation in the Arctic Ocean and to explain dynamics of fresh water in the Beaufort Gyre of the Arctic Ocean in the results of our simulations employing an idealized numerical model with high horizontal resolution. The findings described in our publications are of direct relevance to the numerical modeling community and for developing methods to best represent small-scale flows in climate models for better predictions of Arctic climate. Data archived from this project provide valuable climatology of the Arctic water column on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales.
Last Modified: 11/25/2015
Modified by: Andrey Proshutinsky
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