Northern Arabian Sea Circulation - autonomous research (NASCar): Profiling Floats
Abstract
The Northern Arabian Sea is an area of intense air-sea interaction, and in particular the ocean is strongly influenced by the seasonal monsoon cycle. The shift in the monsoon winds reverses the basin’s circulation including its western boundary current, the Somali Current. The physics of the reversal of the Somali Current and of the exchanges with the contiguous currents are poorly understood. Additionally, a set of deeper undercurrents is also known to exist, though is poorly described. Frequent pirate attacks occur in the Arabian Sea, making it unsafe for either routine operational or process-focused observational studies. Therefore very few in-situ oceanographic observations were made in this area during the last ten years, thus hampering the advancement of regional research. We propose to deploy 25 profiling floats in the northern Arabian Sea to observe the upper ocean temperature and salinity structure, as well as the circulation at the drift depth, and the surface wave field environment. Using the data from these float we will thoroughly map and examine the circulation in the northern Arabian Sea to understand its dynamics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141512293
Entities
People
- Steven R. Jayne
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution