Air-sea surface measurements with drifters and USVs to examine diurnal warm layer impact on AR fluxes
Abstract
Ocean/atmosphere coupling influences atmospheric river (AR) track, timing, and intensity. Uncertainty in ocean conditions both far upstream and just prior to landfall # as well as inadequacies in the parameterizations of air-sea exchange in forecast models # can yield significant forecast uncertainty even on short time horizons (1-3 d). Similarly, it is not yet clear the extent to which ocean/atmosphere interactions impact the development of extreme AR events, for example from #stalling# fronts or those that occur during conditions of anomalous ocean heat content (e.g. El Nino, Pacific Marine Heat Wave). Key to improving our understanding of the coupled ocean/atmosphere evolution during the formation and intensification of an atmospheric river is the collection of research-grade air/sea fluxes and ocean boundary layer response in high resolution and in real time. Under past ONR funding, we have collaborativelydeveloped a system that provides this information at the sea-surface and continuously across the ocean boundary layer to depths of several hundred meters, utilizing a unique ocean wave-powered ocean profiler below a relatively low-cost, easy-to-deploy buoy. The system can either by drogued at depth, providing for a #virtual# mooring on atmospheric synoptic time-scales, or moored on the continental shelf for seasonal timescales at a fraction of the cost and difficulty of deploying a deep ocean mooring. For the #Study of Air/Sea Fluxes and Atmospheric River Intensity (SAFARI)# DRI, we propose to use these buoy systems to quantify air/sea interactions and the simultaneous evolution of both the atmospheric and ocean boundary layers. These data will be invaluable to the model and assimilation efforts within SAFARI either in the #upstream# or #near-field# regions of interest for the program. Two field seasons are proposed, with final deployment locations to be determined by the SAFARI science team.This abstract is publicly releasable.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 09, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412739
Entities
People
- Andrew J. Lucas
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of California, San Diego