Quantifying internal wave and mesoscale variability using Ocean Observatory Initiative data

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

This project will use data from the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) to study the effects of the ocean bottom on how wind energy travels in the ocean interior. The OOI data will be combined with output from a general ocean circulation model to investigate how different ocean bottom shapes affect energy propagation and its dissipation. The primary OOI data set consists of temperature, salinity, and velocity data obtained from sensors mounted on moored profilers - sensor packages that travel periodically, vertically up and down oceanographic moorings. These data are available from four OOI sites. The project also will provide new, high quality calibrations and processing of these data for use by the oceanographic community. The project will leverage the OOI program to provide improved data and improve understanding of how wind forcing and oceanographic variability influence the internal exchanges of energy in the ocean. In this project data from Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) open ocean moorings will be used along with a very high resolution global circulation model and idealized models to understand the effects of sloping bottom topography on wind generation of near-inertial energy and subsequent propagation and dissipation. The primary data set comprises temperature, salinity, and velocity data from sensors integrated in McLane Moored Profilers (MMP) located at the OOI mooring sites. The lead PI, who developed the moored profilers used on the OOI arrays, will reprocess these data using optimal techniques and make the data available for OOI and the oceanographic community. The effects of mesoscale eddy fields on propagation of near inertial wave energy will be investigated. The reprocessing of these data from long term mooring sites at various locations around the world oceans represents and unique opportunity to test and improve theories of the wind driven inertial motions and internal waves. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.