Collaborative Research: The Oleander Project: High-resolution observations of the dynamic ocean between New Jersey and Bermuda

该项目将延长五年，并加强“夹竹桃”号集装箱船进行的多年期海洋学观测，该船每周在新泽西和百慕大之间的航线上穿越四个不同的区域，即大陆架、斜坡海、墨西哥湾流和马尾藻海。这些改进包括一对声学多普勒海流剖面仪，一方面可直接测量通过温跃层底部至开阔洋约1 200米深处的海流，另一方面可对上层海洋进行高垂直分辨率剖面测量。前者将使研究墨西哥湾流，中尺度涡动场，和高度可变的马尾藻海，所有这些都是在大尺度海洋环流，包括气候重要的纬向翻转环流（MOC）的重要组成部分的完整的上层海洋结构。后者将大大改善对大陆架、陆架断裂前缘的覆盖，并提高混合层季节性温跃层结构的分辨率，夹竹桃轨迹的位置独特，因为它能够进行横跨大陆架和陆坡、穿过北大西洋副极地环流最南端延伸部分并进入亚热带环流的现场测量。这些ADCP快照的美妙之处在于，它们告诉我们海洋在很大范围内的变化。对这些数据集进行围合平均，将有助于继续深入调查：（1）大西洋中部湾陆架的季节性、年际至十年变化;（2）控制陆架与开阔洋之间交流的动力学;（3）不同纬度MOC西部边界沿着的连通性;以及（4）墨西哥湾流位置的年际至十年变化。副极地环流的强度和结构，以及在马尾藻海的再循环。此外，单个轨迹提供的表面盐度、温度和速度的高水平分辨率将使人们能够继续调查次中尺度过程。替代船预计将在项目的第二年或第三年投入使用。在新的船体上安装两个新的ADCP后，一个用于改进陆架坡度操作，另一个用于1 200米深度的剖面，夹竹桃项目将大大增加其在西北大西洋的观测足迹。所有数据一经处理和质量控制，将立即向公众提供。扩大夏威夷大学ULOS范围的ADCP数据采集系统UHDAS，将志愿观测船包括在内，将使Oleander号以及在北大西洋作业的其他配备ADCP的船只能够获得真实的实时数据流。

This project will extend for five years and enhance the multi-decadal oceanographic observations from the MV Oleander, a container vessel that on a weekly schedule crosses four distinct regions, namely the continental shelf, Slope Sea, Gulf Stream and Sargasso Sea on its route between New Jersey and Bermuda. The enhancements include an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) pair that will provide direct measurement of the currents through the base of the thermocline to about 1200 m depth in the open ocean on the one hand, and high vertical resolution profiling of the upper ocean on the other. The former will enable research into the full upper ocean structure of the Gulf Stream, the mesoscale eddy field, and the highly variable Sargasso Sea, all of which are important components in the large scale ocean circulation including the climatically important meridional overturning circulation (MOC). The latter will greatly improve coverage on the continental shelf, shelfbreak front and resolution of the mixed layer seasonal thermocline structure.The Oleander track is uniquely situated as it enables in situ measurements across the shelf and slope, through the southernmost extension of the North Atlantic subpolar gyre, and into the subtropical gyre. The beauty of these ADCP snapshots is that they tell us what the ocean is doing over a wide range of scales. Ensemble averaging these leads to robust data sets that will contribute to continued and deeper investigations into (1) seasonal, and interannual to decadal variability on the mid-Atlantic Bight shelf, (2) dynamics controlling the communication between the shelf and open ocean, (3) connectivity along western boundaries in the MOC at different latitudes, and (4) interannual to decadal variability in the Gulf Stream position, strength and the structure of the subpolar gyre, and the recirculation in the Sargasso Sea. In addition, the high horizontal resolution of surface salinity, temperature and velocity afforded by individual tracks will enable continued investigation into sub-mesoscale processes. A replacement ship is expected to enter service in the second or third year of the project. With the installation of two new ADCPs on the new hull, one for improved shelf-slope operation and one to profile to 1200 m depths, the Oleander project will greatly increase its observational footprint in the northwest Atlantic. All data will be available to the public as soon as they are processed and quality-controlled. The expansion of the University of Hawaii UNOLS-wide ADCP data acquisition system, UHDAS to include volunteer observing ships will allow for real time data streams from not only the Oleander, but also other such ADCP-equipped vessels in operation in the North Atlantic.