Collaborative Research: Atlantic Air-Sea Fluxes from Satellites, Their Variability and Analysis of Ocean Models

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This study will lead to the construction of a data-based estimate of the net surface heat flux for the Atlantic sector (45S-45N) for the years 1992-current and a corresponding examination of the ocean mixed layer heat budget. It will rely primarily on satellite data to detect sub-monthly to daily fluctuations at oceanic meso-scale. Interactions between fluctuating surface heating and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) have been implicated as a primary cause in tropical Atlantic variability, the ocean's role in the North Atlantic Oscillation, decadal changes in storm production, as well as in decadal-centennial climate change. Understanding of the relationship between variations in heat flux and mixed layer properties on short sub-monthly timescales is limited partly because of the lack of heat flux estimates. This study provides observational estimates of key processes known to be involved in regulating the earth's climate as well as new information about processes for which our understanding is limited. These estimates will be made substantially independently of models or in situ observations, and therefore can be used for comparison and calibration. The PIs will compare their individual flux terms to independent estimates provided by a number of flux mooring sites in different regimes. Broader Impacts. The research will be a challenging scientific problem and will be the basis of at least one dissertation. A byproduct of this work will be familiarity with multi-spectral geostationary data in advance of the launch of such a U.S. satellite. This should allow the PIs to contribute to the improvement of future satellite designs. Interaction with the public will involve presentations through the University of Maryland's outreach activities and through the Internet. The University of Maryland team participates in programs that promote advancement of underrepresented groups. The Miami and Corpus Christi universities have several student interns from minority-serving institutions year around.