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的形成、增长和输出进行的观测和模拟相结合的研究。这项工作将检验这一理论，即涡旋的形成、增长和封顶是由海洋和大气之间的大热通量控制的。学术价值：狭窄的边界流和宽阔的东流之间的过渡，通常被称为西北角(NWC)，为研究涡旋动力学提供了一个天然的实验室，因为涡旋产生的过程在地理上是局部性的，并且高度重复。有充分的理由怀疑，这种涡旋产生和淹没的过程可能是沿着蜿蜒的亚极锋快速热损失的常见和自然结果。这一点的间接证据可以从海洋中大量的涡旋中看到。由于已知它们会继续旋转并持续数年，这就回避了这样一个问题：它们中是否至少有一些可能起源于露出水面的锋区，而亚极海中有许多出露锋区。广泛的影响：这项工作有可能改变人们对海洋动力学的理解，这些动力学与北大西洋的海-气交换有关。气候海洋模型通常不能很好地反映西北角的涡流区域。如果它被证明对海-气热通量很重要，它将突显改进这些模型的必要性，并可能提供这样做所需的动力学理解。在海军陆战队项目办公室的帮助下，每一次探险都会有一名教师参与，以获得研究经验。教师们将在探险期间和之后将这一经历传达给他们学校的两名学生，并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区域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.