Collaborative Research: Continuation of Development and Application of AO-FVCOM to Improve Understanding of Arctic Changes

PIs已经成功地开发了一个高分辨率的非结构网格、有限耦合的北冰洋冰海模型（AO-FVCOM）。AO-FVCOM已通过与气候条件下观测数据的比较验证。目前，他们正在寻求以下三项工作的支持：1)利用在加拿大北极盆地及其边缘楚科奇海和波弗特海收集的观测数据校准和验证AO-FVCOM。之所以选择这一地区进行深入研究，是因为近年来该地区的海冰范围和厚度损失最为明显，而且经过多年的国家和国际实地和模拟研究，该地区的覆盖范围前所未有。2)应用新的校准和验证的AV-FVCOM来调查以下科学主题：a)提高对研究区域内阿拉斯加海岸流、太平洋和大西洋水域环流的认识；b)重新审视与该区域陆架-盆地交换（SBE）过程相关的科学问题和方法问题；c)应用AO-FVCOM来调查淡水来源（白令海峡、河流、波弗特中部环流）的淡水（液体和固体）转化和运输。(3)培养一名高级北冰洋建模博士研究生。这个项目的成功完成将为模拟北冰洋过程提供一个额外的协议。它还将促进对北冰洋环流和混合过程的了解，随着全球这一地区冰损失和开发活动的增加，这些过程在社会经济方面的重要性将日益增强。

The PIs have successfully developed a high-resolution unstructured-grid, finitevolumecoupled ice-ocean model for the Arctic Ocean (AO-FVCOM). AO-FVCOM has beenvalidated via comparison to observed data under climatological conditions. Now they seek support to work on the following three tasks: 1) Calibrate and validate AO-FVCOM using observational data collected in the Canada Arctic Basin and its marginal Chukchi and Beaufort Sea. This region is chosen for intense study because it has the most pronounced loss of sea ice extent and thickness in recent years and its unprecedented coverage by multiyear national and international field and modeling studies. 2) Apply the new calibrated and validated AV-FVCOM to investigate the following scientific topics: a) improve understanding of the circulation of the Alaskan Coastal Current and Pacific and Atlantic waters in the study region, b) revisit scientific questions and methodological problems associated with shelf-basin exchange (SBE) processes in the region, and c) apply AO-FVCOM to investigate transformations and transports of fresh water (both liquid and solid) from freshwater sources (Bering Strait, rivers, central Beaufort Gyre, precipitation) towards the North Atlantic Ocean via Fram and Canadian Archipelago Straits. 3) Train a Ph.D. student in advanced Arctic Ocean modeling.Successful completion of this project will provide an additional protocol for modeling Arctic Ocean processes. It will also advance understanding of the circulation and mixing processes in the Arctic Ocean, processes which will grow in socio-economic importance with increasing ice loss and development activities in this part of the globe.