Dynamics of Eddies and Dipoles in the South Atlantic

该项目将从阿古拉斯南大西洋产生潜在涡场。研究人员将利用位势涡场模拟中尺度涡旋和反旋转涡旋的动力学行为，以探索阿古拉斯反射的泄漏（印度洋水进入南大西洋的运输和混合）以及上层和深层海洋之间的耦合。此外，还将发展包括不同层深和涡旋大小/强度的不对称在内的上下偶极子耦合的理论模型。根据这些解的扰动形式和数值解，与中尺度偶极子相关的波色散将被量化。该研究的意义在于对南大西洋气旋和反气旋涡旋的横向和垂直涡旋相互作用所导致的上深海耦合强度有了新的认识。这些涡流对温跃层的通风有重要作用。更广泛的影响本工作将结合现场和卫星数据，以及数值和分析模型，研究气旋和反气旋涡旋的中尺度偶极结构。研究人员将为罗斯比波与中尺度涡旋的海洋气候研究提供定量结果，并更好地了解南大西洋中尺度涡旋过程如何帮助温跃层通风过程。此外，这项工作将为来自海洋学中代表性不足的少数民族的一名科学家提供博士后培训，他将通过模拟海洋涡旋获得地球物理流体动力学方面的新技能和额外培训。其中一些训练将包括关于涡旋的理论工作、示踪剂传输模拟、原位反向回声测深数据和卫星高度计数据的数值同化。

Intellectual MeritThis project will generate potential vorticity fields from the Agulhas South-Atlantic. The investigators will use the potential vorticity fields to model the dynamical behavior of mesoscale eddies and counter-rotating eddy fields to explore the leakage from the Agulhas Retroflection (transport and mixing of Indian Ocean water into the South Atlantic) and the coupling between the upper and deep ocean. Theoretical models of coupled upper-lower layer dipoles, including asymmetries from different layer depths and vortex sizes/ strengths will also be developed. From disturbed forms of these solutions and from numerical solutions, wave dispersion associated with mesoscale dipoles will be quantified. The significance of study is developing new understanding of the strength of the coupling between the upper and deep ocean due to lateral and vertical eddy-eddy interactions of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies in the South Atlantic. These eddies can contribute significantly to the ventilation of the thermocline.Broader ImpactsThis work will investigate mesoscale dipolar structures of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, using a combination of in situ and satellite data, together with numerical and analytical models. The investigators will contribute quantitative results to ocean-climate studies on Rossby waves versus mesoscale eddies and gain a better understanding of how mesoscale eddy processes in the South Atlantic Ocean aid in the thermocline ventilation process. In addition, this work will provide post doctoral training to a scientist from an under-represented ethnic group in oceanography who will gain new skills and additional training in geophysical fluid dynamics by modeling ocean vortices. Some of the training will include theoretical work on vortices, tracer transport simulations, and numerical data assimilation of in situ inverted echo sounder data and satellite altimeter data.