Bipolar Thermohaline Circulation: BIAC (2007-2010) (to top)
BIAC is an IPY project funded by RCN and co-ordinated by Tor Gammelsrød at
Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen. BIAC’s main objective is to study
the Arctic and Southern Ocean shelf ventilation processes and determine their
impacts on the bipolar Atlantic thermohaline circulation. I am the principal
investigator of working theme (WT) 3 : Downslope processes – pathways, cascading
and mixing. In WT3 field measurements and modelling focusing on the logistically
favorable and accessible sites (Storfjorden, Faroe Bank Channel, and Weddell Sea),
will be conducted to estimate evolution and mixing of shelf-origin dense water
cascades and the associated oxygen and carbon transports. Dedicated advanced
shipboard and moored measurements of fine-scale hydrography and currents, CO2
,oxygen, microscale temperature and shear will be made, resolving the temporal
and spatial scales associated with the mixing processes. Mooring locations and
the survey will cover the path of the overflow where the entrainment and mixing
is reported to be enhanced. Modelling activity will comprise idealized cascade
modelling, process-oriented Bergen Ocean Model (BOM) application and regional
ROMS application to overflows. Through BIAC we acquired VMP2000 microstructure
profiler that will allow us to measure dissipation rates as deep as 1500-1700 m,
relevant for Faroe Bank Channel (FBC) overflow and Weddell Sea outflow. FBC
experiment is scheduled in late May 2008 from R.V. Håkon Mosby.
Read the full proposal
here [pdf 1940 KB].
Read the BIAC description (by Gammelsrød & Østerhus) appeared in Klima
here
(in Norwegian, but with descriptive figures).
Ocean Mixing in the Arctic: Case Study at the NPEO (2007-2008) (to top)
This project is my RCN young-investigator grant and is a product of a
collaborative initiative with Tim Boyd. It aims to investigate ocean mixing
during the drift of the North Pole Environmental Observatory based at
Borneo Ice Camp (approximately 89N), through field observations and
process studies. I benefit from the infrastructure provided by the
North Pole Environmental Observatory (NPEO- web site here). The Arctic ice
cover depends on a delicate heat balance in which the magnitude and
distribution of the oceanic vertical heat flux is important. The
amount and spatial distribution of thermal and mechanical forcing,
ocean stratification, internal wave activity and turbulent mixing have
significant impact on this vertical heat flux. With this motivation,
I proposed field work in spring of 2007 and 2008 including time series
of fine scale velocity (using Longranger ADCP) and microstructure
profiles (using MSS90L) from Borneo and vertical profiles of velocity
(using XCPs) and microstructure at stations occupied by a helicopter
along transects across the Lomonosov Ridge. The field work in 2007
is completed and some preliminary results are posted on this link.
Read the full proposal
here [pdf 660 KB].
Current Profiling North of Svalbard: CuNoS (2007-2008) (to top)
CuNoS is funded by RCN and is a US-NO collaboration. I am the co-PI
and together with Peter Haugan (PI), we collaborate with Jamie Morison
of Applied Physics Lab., Univ. of Washington. CuNoS aims to develop XCP
capability (both ship and ice deployments) in Bergen. Through CuNoS,
I received training on XCPs in APL, Washington. Successful on-ice
deployments were made from Borneo Ice Camp in April 2007. In summer 2007,
during a cruise to the Yermak Plateau, we deployed XCPs from R.V.
Håkon Mosby. Preliminary results from this cruise can be read here.
Read the full proposal
here [pdf 52 KB].
DAMOCLES (2006-2009) (to top)
DAMOCLES (Developing Arctic Modelling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term Environmental Studies) is an EU-funded (6th frame) project co-ordinated by Jean-Claude Gascard (Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris). DAMOCLES is an integrated ice-atmosphere-ocean monitoring and forecasting system designed for observing, understanding and quantifying climate changes in the Arctic. DAMOCLES consortium includes 45 institutions. Here is the descriptive DAMOCLES leaflet (pdf, 1.2 MB) with nice pictures. In DAMOCLES, I am responsible for monitoring of the Storfjorden overflow using bottom-mounted ADCPs on trawl-proof frames (following and improving on the system initiated by the ProClim project.
A sustainable new system for trawl-proof frame is designed and constructed.
The maintenance of the initial trawl-proof system was costly with significant
transport and deployment difficulties. The improvements are a result
of experience gained by maintaining a trawl-proof bottom-mounted ADCP system
at the Storfjorden sill since summer 2003. The new system at the shelf-break
off Sørkapp of Spitsbergen is deployed first in summer 2007.
Reports from the sill-ADCP data are available for year
2004
(detailed report including tidal analysis) and years
2004-2006
(with focus on inter-annual comparison).
Finalized data sets can be accessed here.
Visit the official web-site.
NorClim (2006-2009) (to top)
NorClim is a RCN-funded project co-ordinated by Helge Drange,
Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center (NERSC), Bergen.
The leading research institutes in Bergen, Oslo and Tromsø working
on the physical climate system participate in NorClim. The
goal of the consortium is to actively connect, and by that to optimise, a
major part of the climate research activities in Norway. The project has,
with particular focus on Norway and the Arctic, the following objectives:
- To detect and examine mechanisms for climate variations on time-scales from
years to several decades
-To improve the understanding and implementation of processes in the physical climate
system that are not well represented in global climate models
-To produce climate scenario projections for time-horizons 2030 and 2100 with
quantification of uncertainties
-To provide scientifically based and relevant information on the evolution
of the physical climate to governmental bodies, decision and policy makers,
researchers, enterprises, NGOs, and the general public
- To unify climate model and analyses tools in Norway to establish a common
Earth System Model
- To contribute to long-term capacity and competence building of climate research
in Norway
I will contribute to the Ocean Module, led by Bjørn Ådlandsvik, by trying to
provide improved parameterization schemes for gravity current entrainment and
diapycnal mixing.
Read the full proposal
here [pdf 1466 KB].
Polar Ocean Climate Processes: ProClim (2004-2007) (to top)
ProClim funded by RCN was co-ordinated by Peter M. Haugan at Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen
ProClim studied
a number of mesoscale and small scale processes controlling how properties (such as heat, salt, momentum,
nutrients, tracers) are being transferred throughout the air-ice-sea system. Three major regions
: the continental shelf, continental slope and deep basins, are reflected in the first three work
packages, WP1 - WP3. In deep basins, WP1, deep
convection in regions of weak vertical stratification lead to the formation of deep and intermediate
waters which are the main constituents of the Greenland-Iceland-Scotland overflows and ultimately of
the North Atlantic deep water. The focus on shelves mainly concerns brine-enriched water, WP2,
resulting from sea-ice formation in coastal polynyas and along topographically influenced fronts
and ice edges. Interactions between shelves and deep basins are manifested in cross slope exchanges,
WP3, involving slope convection and cascading.
I was involved in WP3, responsible for
small-scale processes and turbulence field work and overflow monitoring.
Through ProClim, MSS90, a loosely tethered microstructure profiler was acquired.
Visit the
web-site .