Seasonal Ice Zone Reconnaissance Surveys Coordination and Ocean Profiles 2021-2023
Abstract
We propose renewal of the grant for the coordination of and participation in the Seasonal Ice Zone Reconnaissance Surveys (SIZRS) pr ogram through FY 2023. SIZRS is a multi-investigator program of repeated ocean, ice, and atmospheric measurements. These measurement s make use of U.S. Coast Guard flights across the Beaufort-Chukchi Sea seasonal sea ice zone (SIZ), the region between maximum winte r ice extent and minimum summer ice extent. Our long-term goal is to track and understand the interplay among the ice, atmosphere, a nd ocean, contributing to the rapid decline in summer ice extent. In addition to overall coordination of SIZRS, this grant covers pr ofile measurements of ocean temperature, salinity, velocity, and mixing across the SIZ using aircraft expendable CTDs (AXCTD) and cu rrent profilers (AXCP). These are to determine variations in ocean characteristics across the SIZ and how these relate to small- to mesoscale ice and ocean processes; to the larger-scale ocean processes of the Beaufort Sea; and ultimately to the variations in Arct ic Ocean and atmospheric circulation. Recent results also motivate new foci for SIZRS observations. In trying to understand the conn ection between variations in the SIZ and interannual variability of Arctic Ocean circulation as a whole, we have found that the domi nant mode of variability in Arctic Ocean circulation, exemplified by the first empirical orthogonal function of sea surface height, is a low in sea surface height with cyclonic circulation on the Russian side of the Arctic Ocean centered roughly on the poorly samp led Makarov Basin. Consequently we propose adding annual SIZRS sections across the Makarov Basin. Also, the result of our AXCP measu rements and internal wave modeling effort suggest that internal wave energy and deep background mixing remain low even under reduced ice extent. This motivates collaboration with the NOAA Arctic Heat program to explore shelf-basin interaction as a control on Beauf ort Sea stratification.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 07, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112883
Entities
People
- James Morison
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Washington