Surface Drifter Observations of Lagrangian Pathways and Kinematical Properties of the Near-Surface Velocity Field
Abstract
Vertical motions of water from the ocean surface to the interior play an important role in the redistribution of oceanic properties and affect primary productivity. The associated velocities are much smaller compared to horizontal movements and hard to detect. In this context, meso- and submesoscale features are of great significance and although the involved dynamics occur at small spatiotemporal scales, they can induce transports over much larger areas [e.g. Pascual et al., 2017]. To determine if these vertical motions and associated transport processes are properly represented in predictive systems, new in situ observations are needed to accurately measure the physical processes involved as well as for testing theories, hypotheses, and predictions of the threedimensional time-evolving Lagrangian pathways. This proposal is primarily concerned with measurements from drifting buoys to observe and quantify the dominant oceanic processes, primarily at the surface of the ocean and at the anticipated study site in the southwestern Mediterranean Sea or Alboran Sea.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912692
Entities
People
- Luca Centuioni
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of California, San Diego