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

这项研究将研究与圣路易斯奥比斯波湾海岸线点外发展的前沿相关的物理过程，在暴露于风和受风保护的区域的过渡。这项研究的信息将来自于对水流、温度、盐度和溶解氧的测量，这些测量是通过船上携带的仪器和固定在海底获得的。这些数据将得到不同空间尺度的计算机模型结果的补充，从而能够分辨锋面。此外，在前线的过程将进行比较，理论上的考虑。这项研究将提出产生和消散锋面的物理过程的生态影响。该项目将支持早期职业科学家，并将招募历史上服务不足的学生。它将产生与项目调查结果有关的图形艺术，这些图形艺术将在水族馆中展出，并用于宣传活动。拟议的工作的目标是检查跨大陆架次中尺度交换过程与持续的热锋下游的地形特征在一个涌升海湾，集中在海风的影响。这一目标将通过协调的高分辨率湍流混合测量（水文、速度和微结构剖面的调查和系泊）以及高分辨率建模工作来实现。这项研究的重点是在一个海湾，圣路易斯奥比斯波湾，这是缺氧和藻类水华的影响锋面功能。生物相关的测量（特别是DO）将能够检查拟议的跨战线交换机制的生物影响。将在交叉锋交换中评估的主要动力机制是湍流热成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，并将包括幼虫连接的颗粒跟踪计算。该项目将支持两名早期职业研究人员，将采用现场行为守则，并将从“不同的非博士授予机构”招募学生。研究结果将以图形艺术的形式描绘，并以英语和西班牙语进行描述，将被纳入当地水族馆，并用于各种推广活动。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并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，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.