A Time-Series Study of Ocean Climate Processes in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

该项目的重点是观测和了解北太平洋副热带环流中与海洋气候有关的过程。这笔资金将支持在夏威夷海洋时间序列（HOT）深水站ALOHA附近对水的性质和水流进行为期五年的持续船上观测，以将时间序列延长到20年，并继续为HOT的海洋地球化学研究部分提供高质量的支持。温度、盐度和速度仪器将放置在海洋大气局资助的一个水面系泊装置上，该装置将部署在ALOHA，以提高我们对上层海洋过程的时间分辨率。将利用HOT观测数据结合模型和流域尺度数据分析产品，为时间序列建立更好的空间背景。科学分析的重点是改善对海洋气候变异性的描述和了解，并查明对海洋生物地球化学和生态系统的相关影响。一个特别的目标是更好地了解在ALOHA观测到的与水团变化有关的俯冲和卷吸过程，包括与海气相互作用有关的表层变化。这些研究还包括调查高频过程，如涡旋和潮汐混合对北太平洋副热带环流内水团缓慢演变的贡献。停泊的上层海洋测量对所有这些目标都是必不可少的。 该项目的测量和分析有助于实现正在进行的美国全球变化研究计划和新的气候变化科学计划的目标，通过气候变率和可预测性（CLIVAR）计划和碳循环科学计划。这些计划旨在改进海洋变化模型，作为耦合气候系统的一部分。这些改进的模型将用于检验关于气候变化耦合的想法，用于海洋和气候可预测性研究，用于海洋和气候状况评估，用于海洋观测系统研究，并最终用于气候变化预测。该项目将有助于ALOHA观测站的发展，而ALOHA观测站又将有助于计划中的美国综合海洋观测系统，并有助于开发持续海洋观测的新技术。该项目将有助于培养一名研究生，并为参与该项目的几名本科生提供培训。此外，调查人员将与夏威夷大学和罗格斯大学的同事合作，支持K-12海洋科学教育工作。

This project focuses on observing and understanding ocean-climate related processes in the North Pacific Ocean subtropical gyre. The funding will support five years of continued shipboard observations of water properties and currents in the vicinity of the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) deep-water Station ALOHA to extend the time-series to 20 years, and to continue the high-quality support of the biogeochemistry research component of HOT. Temperature, salinity and velocity instruments will be placed on a NOAA-funded surface mooring to be deployed at ALOHA to improve our temporal resolution of upper ocean processes. A better spatial context for the time-series using the HOT observations in conjunction with models and basin-scale data analysis products will be developed. The scientific analyses focus on improving the description and understanding of ocean climate variability, and on discerning the associated impacts on ocean biogeochemistry and ecosystems. A particular goal is a better understanding of the subduction and entrainment processes in relation to water mass variability observed at ALOHA, including surface layer variations in relation to air-sea interaction. The studies also include investigation of the contributions of high frequency processes such as eddies and tidal mixing to the slower evolution of the water masses within the North Pacific subtropical gyre. The moored upper ocean measurements are essential to all of these objectives. The measurements and analyses from this project contribute to the objectives of the ongoing US Global Change Research Program and the new Climate Change Science Program, through the Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) program and the Carbon Cycle Science program. These programs aim to improve models of ocean variability as part of the coupled climate system. Such improved models will be used for testing ideas about coupled climate variability, for ocean and climate predictability studies, for ocean and climate state assessments, for ocean observing system studies and, ultimately, for forecasts of climate variations. This project will contribute to the development of the ALOHA Observatory, which in turn will be a contribution to the planned US Integrated Ocean Observing System, and helping to develop new technology for sustained ocean observations. The project will contribute to the education of a graduate student and provide training for several undergraduate students working with the project. In addition, the investigator will work with University of Hawaii and Rutgers University colleagues to support K-12 marine science educational efforts.