Agulhas Return Current Surface Mooring Reference Station

阿加勒斯返回海流表面系泊参考站

• 批准号: 1038217
• 负责人: Nicholas Bond
• 金额: $ 15.05万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-06-01 至 2011-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1038217&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Agulhas; Return; Current; Surface; Mooring

A surface mooring will be deployed at 38.5°S, 30°E, equatorward of the Agulhas Return Current (ARC) in October 2010. The mooring will contribute to the global network of OceanSITES time series reference stations, and also to various process studies in the region, including the NSF funded Agulhas Current Time Series experiment led by Dr. Beal (RSMAS). The mooring will carry a suite of meteorological sensors to monitor the radiative and turbulent air-sea heat fluxes, evaporation minus precipitation, and wind stress. In addition, surface temperature and salinity and 15-m currents will be measured, and the mooring will carry an air-sea pCO2 system for monitoring the carbon flux. All measurements will be telemetered to shore and made available in near-real time.Intellectual merit: The Agulhas Return Current has some of the largest air-sea heat fluxes found in the entire Southern Hemisphere, and thus is a region of intense air-sea interaction. As with other basins, heat is carried poleward by the western boundary current (i.e. the Agulhas Current) and is released as the current retroflects and extends eastward into the South Indian Ocean basin. Although the mean fluxes are almost as large as in the western boundary current extensions (WBCE) of the Northern Hemisphere (Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Extension), the geometry of the African landmass is fundamentally different: it terminates at about 34°S, equatorward of the WBCE. The ARC reference station is needed to quantify the air-sea heat fluxes and understand the physics leading to the disequilibrium between the ocean and atmosphere, physics that also affect the ability of the ocean to uptake carbon dioxide in this region. Ultimately, these measurements will lead to a better understanding of the regional and global heat balance and the rate at which the ocean is absorbing carbon dioxide.Broader impacts: The mooring will contribute to the global network of OceanSITES time series reference stations. Data will be made publicly available in near-real time through the project web pages and through OceanSITES data centers. Partnerships have been formed with ASCLME, who will provide shiptime and help connect the project to African National Weather Services. Data from the ARC reference station mooring will be used to help assess operational weather prediction models as well as NWP re-analyses products used in climate studies. These assessments will likely lead to improved forecasts and re-analyses in the southern African and southwestern Indian Ocean region. The project will also contribute to various process studies, including the NSF funded ACT experiment led by Dr. Beal and other fieldwork coordinated by the SCOR Working Group #136 on the Climatic Importance of the Greater Agulhas System. The telemetered data will be presented and used at the next SCOR WG #136 workshop, to be held in East Africa in Spring 2011. The workshop will have a capacity building element, with travel support provided to invited scientists from developing nations.

2010年10月，将在38.5°S，30°E，厄古拉斯回流（ARC）赤道方向部署一个水面系泊系统。系泊将有助于海洋站点时间序列参考站的全球网络，也有助于该区域的各种过程研究，包括由比尔博士（RSMAS）领导的由国家科学基金会资助的阿古拉斯海流时间序列实验。系泊将携带一套气象传感器，以监测辐射和湍流海气热通量、蒸发减去降水和风应力。此外，还将测量表面温度和盐度以及15米海流，系泊设备将携带一个用于监测碳通量的海气pCO2系统。所有测量结果都将遥测到海岸，并可近实时提供。与其他海盆一样，西边界海流（即厄古拉斯海流）将热量带到极地，并随着海流向东回流并延伸到南印度洋海盆而释放。尽管平均通量几乎与北方半球西边界流延伸区（WBCE）（墨西哥湾流和黑潮延伸区）一样大，但非洲大陆的几何形状却有根本不同：它终止于约34°S，WBCE的赤道方向。需要ARC参考站来量化海气热通量，并了解导致海洋和大气之间不平衡的物理学，这些物理学也影响海洋吸收该区域二氧化碳的能力。最终，这些测量将导致更好地了解区域和全球热平衡以及海洋吸收二氧化碳的速度。更广泛的影响：系泊将有助于海洋站点时间序列参考站的全球网络。数据将通过项目网页和海洋站点数据中心以接近实时的方式公开提供。已与非洲海洋气象服务中心建立了伙伴关系，后者将提供船期，并帮助将该项目与非洲国家气象服务中心联系起来。来自ARC参考站系泊的数据将用于帮助评估业务天气预报模型以及气候研究中使用的NWP再分析产品。这些评估可能会改善南部非洲和西南印度洋地区的预测和重新分析。该项目还将为各种过程研究做出贡献，包括由美国国家科学基金会资助、由比尔博士领导的ACT实验以及由SCOR第136工作组协调的关于大阿古拉斯系统气候重要性的其他实地工作。遥测数据将在定于2011年春季在东非举行的下一次SCOR WG#136研讨会上介绍和使用。讲习班将包括能力建设部分，并向应邀参加的发展中国家科学家提供旅费支助。