An Autonomous Investigation of Kuroshio and Mesoscale Impacts on Upper Ocean Response to Typhoon Forcing
Abstract
This study contributes to long-term efforts toward understanding: upper ocean response to atmospheric forcing and submesoscale dynamics of the mixed and transition layer. This program also follows the team s long-term focus on developing new approaches for exploiting autonomous technologies for conducting process-level measurements. Objectives are to: A) Characterize the upper ocean response to typhoon forcing, in particular the temporal and spatial evolution of the cold wake generated by a typhoon and B) Demonstrate the utility of a new glider-borne microstructure sensor package for collecting high-quality turbulence measurements over the course of long-duration (weeks to months) deployments. The Impact of Typhoons on the Ocean in the Pacific (ITOP) program brought together an international team of oceanographers and atmospheric scientists to conduct a highly collaborative investigation of the oceanic response to typhoon forcing. Novel aspects of this program included the availability of C130 aircraft capable of air-dropping autonomous assets directly in front of propagating typhoons and extended access to a global-class research vessel, R/V Roger Revelle, stationed in Kaoshiung and capable of carrying autonomous assets and rapid survey capability into the typhoon s cold wake, shortly after the storm s passage. This permitted direct measurement of both the immediate response to the typhoon s passage and the longer timescale evolution of the resulting cold wake. This project focused on understanding cold wake evolution using a fleet of ten long-endurance autonomous Seagliders (three of which were equipped with temperature microstructure sensors) and ship-based surveys employing a rapid-profiling underway CTD.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA590616
Entities
People
- Craig Lee
- Jason Gobat
- Luc Rainville
Organizations
- University of Washington