Formation, Growth and Separation of the Northwest Corner Eddy

该项目是对北大西洋洋流西北角地区涡旋形成、增长和输出的观测和模拟相结合的研究。这项工作将检验涡流的形成、增长和封顶是由海洋和大气之间的大量热通量控制的理论。智力优势：在狭窄的边界流和广阔的向东流之间的过渡，通常被称为西北角（NWC），为研究涡流动力学提供了一个天然的实验室，因为涡流的产生过程在地理上是局部的，并且高度重复。有充分的理由怀疑，这种涡的产生和下沉过程可能是沿着蜿蜒的次极锋快速热损失的一个常见和自然的结果。这方面的间接证据可以从海洋中大量的涡流中看出来。由于已知它们会继续旋转并持续数年，这就引出了一个问题，即它们中是否至少有一些可能起源于露头锋区，而在亚极地海洋中有许多露头锋区。更广泛的影响：这项工作有可能改变对与北大西洋海洋-大气交换有关的海洋动力学的理解。气候海洋模式通常不能很好地代表西北角涡旋区。如果结果证明它对海气热通量很重要，它将突出改进这些模式的必要性，并可能提供必要的动力学理解。在海洋项目办公室的协助下，通过他们的“无敌舰队计划”，一名教师将参加每一次探险，以获得研究经验。在考察期间和之后，老师们将在他们的学校与两名学生交流这一经历，此外还将就这一研究课题指导一名初级教师。该项目还将为一名研究生提供培训，并加强与贝德福德海洋学研究所对该地区有研究兴趣的加拿大科学家的国际合作。

The project is a combined observational and modeling study of eddy formation, growth, and export in the northwest corner region of the North Atlantic Current. The work will test the theory that eddy formation, growth, and capping is controlled by large heat fluxes between the ocean and atmosphere. Intellectual Merit: The transition between the narrow boundary current and the broad eastward flow, often known as the Northwest Corner (NWC), provides a natural laboratory to study eddy dynamics because the process of eddy production is geographically localized, and highly repetitive. There is good reason to suspect that this process of eddy production and submergence may be a common and natural consequence of rapid heat loss along meandering sub-polar fronts. Indirect evidence for this may be seen in the high population of eddies in the ocean. Since these are known to continue to rotate and last for several years, it begs the question whether at least some of them could have originated from outcropping frontal regions of which there are many throughout the sub-polar oceans.Broader Impacts: The work has the potential to transform the understanding of the ocean dynamics which are relevant to ocean-atmosphere exchanges in the North Atlantic. Climate ocean models typically do not represent well the northwest corner eddy region. If it turns out to be important for air-sea heat fluxes, it will highlight the need to improve these models, and may provide the dynamical understanding necessary to do so. With the assistance of the Office of Marine Programs through their ARMADA Project, a teacher will participate on each of the expeditions to gain research experience. The teachers will communicate this experience to both students at their school during the expedition and afterwards, in addition to mentoring a junior teacher on this research topic. This project will also provide training for one graduate student and enhance an international collaboration with Canadian scientists at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography who have research interests in this region.