YIP Revealing the Decadal and Seasonal Evolution of Ocean Eddies under Arctic Sea Ice
Abstract
Project Abstract (Authorized for Public Release)Turbulence, the holy grail of classical mechanics, is an intrinsic feature of the Earth#s oceans. In the Arctic, eddies in the meso- (10-100 km) and submeso-scale (200 m-20 km) range are critical for heat and momentum transfer. Nonetheless, the sparsity of in situ field observations at high latitudes and the persistent limitations of traditionalremote sensing methods to detect eddies and characterize their associated momentum and heat fluxes constitute a significant challenge with profound implications for climate modeling. In this project, I propose to leverage and build upon my group#s recently developed Ice Floe Tracker (IFT), an innovative algorithm automatically sieving through two decades of optical remote sensing observationsto identify ice floes and quantify Lagrangian statistics of the sea ice drift field, to characterize the meso/submeso-scale eddy field in the Beaufort Gyre. The IFT constitutes the first remote sensing algorithm to provide direct measurements of ice floe rotationrates at high spatial and temporal resolution. Recent work by my group and close collaborators has demonstrated the viability of deriving a comprehensive set of ocean eddy measurements from IFT ice floe observations, given the close links between the acquired icefloe rotation rates and the vorticity of surface eddies underneath them. Here, we aim to explore further kinematic and dynamic links between the sea ice field and ocean eddies using realistic ocean turbulence models. The goal is to apply this information to develop spatially dense time-resolved maps of eddy characteristics in the Beaufort Gyre dating back to 2003. This ambitious goal would have important societal implications immediately benefiting the O#ce of Naval Research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412283
Entities
People
- Monica M. Wilhelmus
Organizations
- Brown University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy