Wave Climate in the Marginal Ice Zones of Arctic Seas, Observations and Modelling
Abstract
Wind waves are a new physical phenomenon to the Arctic Seas, which in the past were covered with ice. Now, over summer months, ice coverage retreats up to 83.5 degrees North and waves are generated. The marginal open seas provide new opportunities and new problems. Navigation and other maritime activities become possible, but waves, storm surges and coastal erosion will likely increase. Air-sea interactions enter a completely new regime, with momentum, energy, heat, gas and moisture fluxes being moderated or produced by the waves, and impacting on upper-ocean mixing. All these issues require knowledge of the wave climate. Since no systematic studies of the wave climate in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas have been conducted, there is little information on the mean and extreme wave characteristics, such as wave height, period, direction, on the frequency of occurrence and duration of the storms. All of these parameters are of great significance for oceanographic, meteorological, climate, naval and maritime applications in the Arctic Seas. This project proposes to investigate wave climate and its trends by means of satellite altimetry. A wave model for the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas will also be developed, validated by means of the observations, and used for the prediction of future wave-climate development.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 03, 2017
- Source ID
- N000141713021
Entities
People
- Alex Babanin
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Melbourne