The Northwest Corner: Its Structure and Relation to the Subpolar Front

0221073个RossbyFunds被要求分析最近从大西洋西北角收集的大量数据。PI将尽可能完整地描述该区域的结构。他将构建质量、动能和涡度预算，并将评估NWC的空间和时间稳定性。他预计，当NWC释放势能时，流动结构的显著时间依赖性就会发生，势能要么以环的形式积累，要么以俯冲涡流的形式积累。他将探索两种解释，解释在离开北大西洋海脊时水流的扩大--受大西洋中部海脊结构的控制，以及亚极锋纬向流动与离开北大西洋海脊的水的经向再循环之间的竞争。PI表明，在亚极锋区内观测到的两个锋面通过向西的Rossby波传播，反映了亚极锋水流经的中大西洋海脊的两个断裂带。可用的数据来自欧拉系泊、拉格朗日漂浮、水文测量、声学多普勒海流剖面仪测量和卫星测高。将进行一些转台实验。

0221073 RossbyFunds are requested to analyze a large body of recently collected data from the Northwest Corner (NWC) of the Atlantic Ocean. The PI will characterize the structure of the region as completely as possible. He will construct mass, kinetic energy, and vorticity budgets, and will assess the spatial and temporal stability of the NWC. He anticipates that significant temporal dependence of the flow structure occurs as the NWC sheds potential energy, which accumulates either as rings or subducting eddies. He will explore two explanations for the broadening of the flow as it leaves the NWC - control by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge structure and competition between the zonal flow of the Subpolar Front and the meridional recirculation of waters leaving the NWC. The PI suggests that the two fronts observed within the Subpolar Frontal region reflect, through westward Rossby wave propagation, the two fracture zones of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge through which the Subpolar Front waters flow. Available data is from Eulerian moorings, Lagrangian floats, hydrographic surveys, acoustic Doppler current profiler surveys, and satellite altimetry. Some rotating table experiments will be performed.