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

该项目将利用船舶的实地观测和数值模拟来研究墨西哥湾北方密西西比-阿查法拉亚河羽流的环流变化。该地区的特点是一个强大的海风，导致流量和波浪的变化相对较小的空间尺度小于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。建模将包括用于测试假设的现实和理想化模型。两名研究生和两名博士后将参与这项研究。此外，该领域的夏季研究经验将通过TAMU本科生夏季研究计划提供给2-3名本科生，鼓励来自代表性不足的群体和当地社区学院的申请。PI将访问当地的少数民族服务本科院校，就研究发表演讲，并让学生参与暑期研究计划。该项目是美国和英国（UK）之间的合作，英国部分通过与NSF的协议得到英国国家环境研究理事会（NERC）的支持。最近的海洋动力学理论表明，亚中尺度流与近惯性运动的相互作用对于理解这两种现象的动力学是重要的。该项目将利用两次实地活动以及理想和现实的数值模型，研究墨西哥湾北方密西西比-阿查法拉亚河羽流的环流模式，以此检验次中尺度能量交换理论。将在两次实地活动期间从船舶、系泊设备和自主平台进行观测。建模将包括一个流体静力学ROMS模型和理想化的非流体静力学大涡模拟（LES）。目标是描述、量化和理解平衡和不平衡运动之间的能量交换以及相互作用可能导致的湍流级联。在密西西比-阿查法拉亚河羽流系统中的波平均流相互作用可以增强混合和垂直交换，这对于理解墨西哥湾北方沿海缺氧和污染物扩散非常重要。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

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.