Origin, pathway, and fate of Equatorial 13C Water in the Pacific

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This project will conduct a thorough, systematic study of Equatorial 13 degC Water. They will first develop a comprehensive description of the origin, pathway, and fate of the water mass using all available hydrographic and tracer data combined with results from high-resolution GCMs. They will then examine the temporal (mesoscale to decadal) variability of its circulation and possible influence on the equatorial thermocline and sea surface temperature using a simulated passive tracer and adjoint technique. Their specific goal is to identify the northern versus southern origin, interior versus western boundary pathway, and mean versus time-dependent circulation of this water mass.Broader Impacts:This project will (i) advance science while promoting education (by the training of a postdoctoral fellow in the analysis of observational data and model outputs); (ii) enhance infrastructure for research and education by establishing collaborations between disciplines and between institutions; and (iii) benefit the society by the use of high-quality World Ocean Circulation Experiment data and results from high-resolution general circulation models to assess climate change.