Transcript (with movie)

The North Atlantic Ocean and Climate Observing System
Stuart A. Cunningham
Scottish Association for Marine Science
Barbara Berx1, Eleanor Frajka-Williams2 and Mark Inall3
1Marine
Laboratory Science, Aberdeen,2National Oceanography Centre, University of
Southampton, 3SAMS.
[email protected]
MASTS ASM, Herriot
Watt, August 2013
Tickling the Dragon’s Tail
The Role of the Atlantic in Global Climate
The strategic focus for MASTS Deep Sea Research
1. Sustained observations of the varying and evolving ocean circulation.
2. Analysis and interpretations of observations for comparison with
climate models.
3. Focused field experiments to understand ocean processes not resolved
in coupled climate models so these processes may be better
represented in models.
This will rely on:
• New Technologies (platforms, sensors, power).
• Enhancement of sustained observation programmes (in time, space
and parameters).
• Multi-disciplinary teams of brilliant scientists focused on strategic
research issues.
Definition of ocean circulation: Physical, chemical and biological
properties (currents, temperature, salinity, sea-surface level, oxygen,
nitrate, carbon dioxide, phytoplankton etc.)
Sustained Observations of the Varying and Evolving Ocean
Strategic focus of MASTS deep-seas research must be to observe the
patterns of climate change in the ocean, to interpret the observations to
understand the process of climate change and to improve our ability to
accurately predict the course of climate change globally and regionally.
1. Long time series establish the amplitude and variability on sub-annual,
seasonal and inter-annual timescales against which climate change on
decadal timescales can be assessed.
2. Monitoring establishes the spatial pattern of decadal changes which are
essential for assessing the mechanisms of change.
3. Comparing spatial pattern of change of model predictions with and without
anthropogenic forcing establishes whether the decadal changes are the
result of natural variability or anthropogenically driven change.
Ocean State Estimation
Estimating the Circulation and
Climate of the Ocean (ECCO)
Aim: to produce increasingly accurate
syntheses of all available global-scale
ocean and sea-ice data at resolutions
that start to resolve ocean eddies and
other narrow current systems, which
transport heat, carbon, and other
properties within the ocean.
• MIT OGCM
• 0.3-1° resolution
• 1993-now
1. Monthly, 10-day, daily or 12hourly ocean model state,
adjusted forcing fields and mixing
coefficients.
Atlantic-Nordic/Arctic Ocean Inflows & Outflows
• Atlantic Inflows to the Nordic Seas (e.g. FSC,
Marlab)
• Atlantic Outflows (FBC, Iceland Ridge, Denmark
Strait, Davis Strait)
Deep Western Boundary Current
Flux Arrays
From 1996
Since 2004
Lab Sea Exit Array
Line W @ 35°N
RAPID @ 26.5°N
MOVE @ 16°N
SAMOC @ 35°S
Sustained Observations of the Atlantic Meridional
Overturning Circulation at 26.5°N
2004-2021
The RAPID array at 26.5°N
Cunningham, S. A. et al. (2007). "Temporal variability of the Atlantic
Meridional Overturning Circulation at 26.5°N." Science 317(17 Aug 2007):
935-938.
Sustained Observations of the
Varying and Evolving Ocean
Surface
to
~1100m
1100m
to
5000m
Sub-Tropical Atlantic Ocean Heat Content
Cunningham, S. A., et al., (2013). "Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
slowdown causes widespread cooling in the Atlantic." Geophys. Res. Letters
submitted.
Slowing of the AMOC
1.6 to 2.7 Sv slowdown
Smeed, McCarthy and Cunningham 2013: Slowing of the AMOC, Ocean Sci.
Discussion, submitted.
Slowing of the AMOC
1.6 to 2.7 Sv slowdown
Slowing of the AMOC
1.6 to 2.7 Sv slowdown
Ocean Observatories Initiative
2014 to 2039
1. Horizontally fixed platforms (moorings).
2. Moored profilers to sample the full water column.
3. Mobile platforms (gliders) for spatial and temporal
sampling capabilities.
Irminger Sea Node
1. Air-sea fluxes of heat, moisture and
momentum.
2. Physical, biological and chemical
properties throughout the water column.
3. Geophysical observations made on the
sea-floor.
http://oceanobservatories.org
Observing the Sub-Polar North Atlantic Programme
2013-2018
The OSNAP line, comprising: (A) German 53°N western boundary
array and Canadian shelf-break array; (B) US West Greenland boundary array;
(C) US/UK East Greenland boundary array; (D) Netherlands western MidAtlantic Ridge array; (E) US eastern Mid-Atlantic Ridge array; (F) UK glider
survey (yellow) over the Rockall-Hatton Plateau and Rockall Trough; (G) UK
Rockall Trough and Scottish Slope Current array. Red dots: US float launch
sites. Blue star: US OOI Irminger Sea global node. Black concentric circles:
US sound sources.
The use of multiple AUVs in FASTNEt: a study of Ocean Shelf Exchange
Mark Inall
Standard
Glider Pairs
Internal tide
generation
at the shelf break
+ Turbulence
Glider
And decay and
mixing on shelf
Exchange drainage in
the bottom boundary
Fluxes Across
Sloping Topography
of the North East
Atlantic
+ AutoSub
Long Range
(planned)
Summary
Deep Seas needs to have a motivating strategic focus
1. Sustained Observations
2. Analysis and interpretation (for understanding and to compare
to climate models)
3. Focused field experiments/process studies
Opportunities:
• New Technologies (platforms and sensors)
• Enhancement of existing arrays (RAPID, OSNAP, OOI, Argo)
• Multi-disciplinary teams of brilliant scientists
The research leading to these results has
received funding from the European Union
7th Framework Programme (FP7 2007-2013),
under grant agreement n.308299
NACLIM www.naclim.eu