Collaborative Research: Recent Changes in Shelfbreak Exchange on the Northeast Shelf: Process-Oriented Observations of Salinity Maximum Intrusions

该项目将研究美国东北部大陆架的变暖，并确定与墨西哥湾流温暖核心环的关系。将分析包括海洋观测站倡议（OOI）先锋阵列在内的几个来源的历史观测结果，以确定大陆架变暖和暖核环之间的联系。现场活动将包括使用配备传感器的自主水下航行器进行观察，以观察控制温暖和盐水入侵的动态过程。研究结果将有助于深入了解大陆架上变暖事件是如何以及为什么发生的。新英格兰大陆架变暖的趋势对区域气候和当地商业渔业有影响。该项目包括与商业渔业协会合作，并向当地渔业社区传播研究成果。该项目将利用实地观测和历史数据分析，研究已知的驱动美国东北部大陆架上的大陆架和暖核环之间交换的过程，以及与大陆架和斜坡地区最近变暖的关系。这项研究将侧重于密度跃层盐度最大值和墨西哥湾流暖核环。实地工作将在两次巡航（2020年和2021年）期间进行，将使用配备传感器的自主水下航行器（AUV）来分析速度，温度，盐度，微观结构，浊度，叶绿素，荧光和有色溶解有机物。这些观测结果将被用于制作一个或多个盐水侵入体的三维地图，并区分密度跃层盐度maxim.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命的相对重要性双扩散和湍流动力学，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

This project will examine warming of the continental shelf of the northeast US and determine the relationship to warm core rings from the Gulf Stream. Historical observations from several sources including the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Pioneer Array will be analyzed to determine the connection between shelf warming and warm core rings. A field campaign will include observations from autonomous underwater vehicles equipped with sensors to observe the dynamic processes that govern the warm and saline intrusions of water. The results will yield insights into how and why warming events occur on the continental shelf. The trend in warming on the New England shelf has implications for regional climate and local commercial fisheries. The project includes collaboration with the Commercial Fisheries Association and communication of research results to local fishing communities. This project will use field observations and analyses of historical data to examine process known to drive exchange between the shelf and warm core rings on the Northeast U.S. continental shelf and the relationship to recent warming on the shelf and slope region. The study will focus on the pycnocline salinity maximum and Gulf Stream warm core rings. The field work, which will take place during two cruises (in 2020 and 2021) will employ autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped with sensors to profile velocity, temperature, salinity, microstructure, turbidity, chlorophyll, fluorescence, and colored dissolved organic matter. The observations will be used to produce three-dimensional maps of one or more saline intrusions and to distinguish between the relative importance of double diffusive and turbulent dynamics in the pycnocline salinity maximum.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.