Collaborative Research: Submesoscale frontal dynamics and exchange at an upwelling bay

这项研究将研究圣路易斯奥比斯波湾海岸线附近的锋面形成的物理过程，该锋面位于暴露于风和受风保护的区域的过渡地带。这项研究的信息将来自于对流量、温度、盐度和溶解氧的测量，这些测量来自于船上携带的固定在海底的仪器。这些数据将由不同空间尺度的计算机模型结果补充，能够分辨锋面。此外，前线的过程将与理论考虑进行比较。这项研究将提出产生和消散锋面的物理过程对生态的影响。该项目将支持早期职业科学家，并将招募历史上得不到充分服务的学生。它将产生与项目发现相关的图形艺术，这些艺术将在水族馆中展示，并用于推广活动。拟议的工作的目标是研究与上升流海湾地形特征下游持续热锋相关的跨大陆架亚中尺度交换过程，重点关注海风的影响。该目标将通过协调的高分辨率湍流混合测量（水文、速度和微观结构剖面的调查和系泊）以及高分辨率建模工作来解决。这项研究的重点是圣路易斯奥比斯波海湾的前缘特征，该海湾受到缺氧和藻华的影响。与生物学相关的测量（特别是DO）将能够检查拟议的交叉锋交换机制的生物学含义。在横锋交换中评估的主要动力机制是湍流热风平衡的作用和有效性。作为更广泛的影响，这项研究将涉及来自不同机构的四名研究人员。它将提供溶解氧的测量，并将包括对幼虫连通性的粒子跟踪计算。该项目将支持两名早期职业研究人员，将采用一套领域行为准则，并将从“不同的非博士学位授予机构”招募学生。结果将以图形艺术的形式呈现，并附有英语和西班牙语的说明，将被纳入当地的一家水族馆，并用于各种推广工作。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

This study will examine physical processes associated with fronts that develop off a coastline point in San Luis Obispo Bay, at the transition of zones exposed to and protected from winds. Information for the study will be derived from measurements of flows, temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen obtained from instruments carried on a ship and fixed to the bottom of the ocean. These data will be supplemented by computer model results at different spatial scales, able to resolve the fronts. Additionally, the processes at fronts will be compared to theoretical considerations. The study will suggest ecological implications of the physical processes that generate and dissipate the fronts. The project will support early-career scientists and will recruit historically underserved students. It will generate graphic art related to the project’s findings that will be displayed in an aquarium and used for outreach activities. The proposed work has the goal of examining cross-shelf submesoscale exchange processes associated with persistent thermal fronts downstream of topographic features in an upwelling bay, concentrating on the influence of sea breezes. The goal will be addressed with coordinated high-resolution measurements of turbulent mixing (surveys and moorings of hydrography, velocity and microstructure profiles) together with high-resolution modeling efforts. The study focuses on a frontal feature in a bay, San Luis Obispo Bay, that is impacted by hypoxia and algal blooms. Biologically relevant measurements (notably DO) will enable examination of the biological implications of the proposed cross-front exchange mechanism. The primary dynamical mechanism that will be evaluated at the cross-front exchange is the role, and validity, of the turbulent thermal wind balance. As broader impacts, the study will involve four researchers from different institutions. It will provide measurements of dissolved oxygen and will include particle-tracking calculations for larval connectivity. The project will support two early-career researchers, will adopt a field code-of-conduct and will recruit students from ‘diverse non-PhD granting institutions.’ Results will be portrayed in graphic art with descriptions in English and Spanish, to be included in a local aquarium and used in various outreach efforts.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.