Near-Inertial Wave - Mesoscale - Submesoscale Interactions in the North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre
Abstract
1.0 Scope: The proposed study will examine the role of the interactions and energy exchanges be?tween mesoscale eddies, submesoscale, currents (SMCs), and near-inertial internal waves (NIWs)in determining global dissipation and mixing patterns in the ocean. The pro,posed work will extendthe previously funded project under the NISKINE DRI and complete the analysis of the realisticnumerical simula,tions in the North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre, which were carried out during the firstthree years of the grant. The updated objectives a,re 1) to quantify the spatiotemporal propertiesof NIW-eddy interactions in the upper ocean, distinguishing between eddy scattering e,ffects, di?rect energy exchanges, and internal wave-induced modifications to the turbulent cascades, and 2)to compare NIW propagatio,n patterns in realistic simulations with simplified propagation modelssuch as ray-tracing and the asymptotic Quasigeostrophic (QG)-N,IW model.2.0 Requirements: The tasks to be preformed are the following:2.1 Complete the analysis of the scale-to-scale energy transf,ers in the realistic simulations usinga newly developed framework to quantify the relative contributions of straining and convergent,motions to the energy transfers.2.2 Complete the analysis of eddy-wave interactions in the realistic simulations using yet anotherne,wly developed framework that allows to separate wave-scattering from direct exchanges andfrom stimulated energy cascades.2.3 Perform, additional semi-idealize ROMS simulations with low-frequency wind forcing but aug?mented with a perfectly resonant near-inertial wi,nd forcing to excite NIWs. Carry out the addi?tional semi-idealized simulations in winter and summer and at 2 km and 500 m spatial r,esolutions.2.4 Analyze the near-inertial energy balance in existing and in new semi-idealized ROMS simula?tions.2.5 Compare the near,-inertial energy balance in the semi-idealized ROMS simulations with thebalance inferred from ray-tracing experiments, using a recen,tly developed three-dimensional raytracing code.2.6 Compare the near-inertial energy balance in the semi-idealized ROMS simulations,with thebalance in numerical simulations of the QG-NIW asymptotic model, developed by members of theNISKINE science team.2.7 Publish, findings.2.8 Deliverables: Reports will be submitted on an annual basis, and a final report will be submittedupon the completion of, the award.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 10, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142212025
Entities
People
- Roy Barkan
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of California, Los Angeles