Examination of Sill Flow, Mixing and Water Mass Modification in a Generalized Hybrid-Coordinate Ocean Model

George Mason University, Fairfax VA

Investigators

Abstract

0099059/Schopf This project focuses on the development and testing of a numerical ocean general circulation model, including its application to dense overflows and the deep circulation of the ocean. If successful, the primary outcomes will be an enhancement of infrastructure, in the form of better ocean modeling capability, and better insight into the dynamics of dense overflows. The ocean model at the heart of the project is the Poseidon model which uses a generalized vertical coordinate. The model development will center on improving the representation of ocean mixing, using existing observational data and theoretical results on dense overflows, such as the Mediterranean outflow, to define test problems and calibrate the results. The project will also explore the effectiveness of several other algorithmic refinements.