NSFGEO-NERC: Collaborative Research: Energy transfer between submesoscale vortices and resonantly-forced inertial motions in the northern Gulf of Mexico

NSFGEO-NERC：合作研究：墨西哥湾北部亚中尺度涡旋和共振强迫惯性运动之间的能量转移

• 批准号: 1851470
• 负责人: Henry Potter
• 金额: $ 45.75万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-05-01 至 2025-04-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1851470&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSFGEO; NERC; Collaborative; Research; Energy

This project will use field observations from ship and numerical modeling to study circulation variability in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River plume in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The region is characterized by a strong sea breeze which leads to the flow and wave variations on relatively small spatial scales of less than 1 km. The observations will take place during two field campaigns including ship, moored, and autonomous platforms. The modeling will include both realistic and idealized models for testing the hypotheses. Two graduate students and two postdocs will participate in the research. In addition, summer research experiences in the field will be provided to 2-3 undergraduates through the TAMU Summer Research Program for Undergraduates, for which applications from underrepresented groups and from local community colleges will be encouraged. The PIs will visit local, minority-serving undergraduate institutions to give presentations on the research and engage students in the summer research program. The project is a collaboration between the US and the United Kingdom (UK) with the UK component being supported by the UK National Environmental Research Council (NERC) through an agreement with NSF.Recently theories for ocean dynamics posit that submesoscale flows interacting with near-inertial motions are important for understanding the dynamics of both phenomena. This project will test theories of energy exchange at the submesoscale by studying circulation patterns in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya river plume in the northern Gulf of Mexico using a pair of field campaigns and idealistic and realistic numerical models. Observations from ship, moorings, and autonomous platforms will be made during two field campaigns. The modeling will include a hydrostatic ROMS model and idealized, non-hydrostatic Large Eddy Simulations (LES). The objective will be to characterize, quantify, and understand the energy exchanges between balanced and unbalanced motions and the turbulent cascade that can result from the interaction. Wave-mean flow interactions in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya river plume system could enhance mixing and vertical exchange, which are important for understanding coastal hypoxia and the dispersal of pollutants in the northern Gulf of Mexico.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目将利用船舶现场观测和数值模拟来研究墨西哥湾北部密西西比-阿查法拉亚河羽流的环流变异性。该区域的特点是强烈的海风，导致流动和波浪在相对较小的空间尺度上变化，不到1公里。观测将在两个现场活动期间进行，包括船舶、系泊和自主平台。建模将包括用于检验假设的现实模型和理想化模型。两名研究生和两名博士后将参与这项研究。此外，将通过TAMU本科生暑期研究计划向2-3名本科生提供该领域的暑期研究经验，鼓励来自代表不足的群体和当地社区大学的申请。PI将访问当地为少数族裔服务的本科生机构，就研究进行演讲，并让学生参与暑期研究计划。该项目是美国和英国(UK)的合作项目，英国部分由英国国家环境研究委员会(NERC)通过与NSF达成的一项协议提供支持。最近，海洋动力学理论假设，亚中尺度流动与近惯性运动相互作用对于理解这两种现象的动力学非常重要。这个项目将通过研究墨西哥湾北部密西西比-阿查法拉亚河羽流的环流模式，利用两个现场运动和理想化和现实主义的数值模式来测试亚中尺度上的能量交换理论。从船舶、系泊和自主平台进行的观测将在两个现场战役中进行。建模将包括流体静力ROMS模型和理想化的非流体静力大涡模拟(LES)。其目的将是描述、量化和理解平衡和不平衡运动之间的能量交换，以及由相互作用可能产生的湍流级联。密西西比河-阿查法拉亚河羽流系统中的波-均流相互作用可以增强混合和垂直交换，这对于了解墨西哥湾北部的沿海缺氧和污染物的扩散非常重要。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。