The Northwest Corner: Its Structure and Relation to the Subpolar Front

University Of Rhode Island, Kingston RI

Investigators

Abstract

0221073 Rossby Funds are requested to analyze a large body of recently collected data from the Northwest Corner (NWC) of the Atlantic Ocean. The PI will characterize the structure of the region as completely as possible. He will construct mass, kinetic energy, and vorticity budgets, and will assess the spatial and temporal stability of the NWC. He anticipates that significant temporal dependence of the flow structure occurs as the NWC sheds potential energy, which accumulates either as rings or subducting eddies. He will explore two explanations for the broadening of the flow as it leaves the NWC - control by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge structure and competition between the zonal flow of the Subpolar Front and the meridional recirculation of waters leaving the NWC. The PI suggests that the two fronts observed within the Subpolar Frontal region reflect, through westward Rossby wave propagation, the two fracture zones of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge through which the Subpolar Front waters flow. Available data is from Eulerian moorings, Lagrangian floats, hydrographic surveys, acoustic Doppler current profiler surveys, and satellite altimetry. Some rotating table experiments will be performed.