"Modeling Near Inertial Internal Wave Response in a Seasonally Ice-Free Arctic: Differences from a Mid Latitude

Abstract

We propose to adapt a leading model of mid-latitude internal wave generation to explore the role of diminished ~ and shallow mixed layers in causing reduced generation of internal waves inthe Arctic Ocean and to compare the results to our ongoing SIZRS observations and the SODA observations of others. We will model near-inertial wave propagation through the stratified ocean by recreating the linear internal wave model developed by Zervakis and Levine [1995] that was previously used to accurately model the oceanic response in the ONR-sponsored OceanStorms experiment. Recreating a computationally inexpensive, relatively simple linear model should provide an effective way of testing our understanding of the forcing of the near-inertialinternal wave field in the Arctic Ocean while directly addressing two of the main questions proposed in the SODA DRI:(1) How efficient are Arctic storms at exciting inertia-gravity waves in the more open ocean in summer in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas?(2) What are the strength and spatial scales of inertial waves being generated and what role do they play in mixing in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas?

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Aug 12, 2016
Source ID
N000141612379

Entities

People

  • James Morison

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Navy
  • University of Washington

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Polar and Arctic Studies