Air-sea interactions and deep convection in the Labrador Sea
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Authors
Bramson, Laura S.
Subjects
Labrador Sea
Deep ocean convection
Air-sea interactions
Deep ocean convection
Air-sea interactions
Advisors
Guest, Peter
Garwood, Roland
Date of Issue
1997-12
Date
December 1997
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
Deep convection in the oceans, particularly at high latitudes, plays an important role in the climate systems of the world's oceans and atmosphere. This study was conducted to examine atmospheric forcing effects on deep convection in the Labrador Sea. The Naval Postgraduate School one dimensional ocean mixed layer model was applied to the Labrador Sea from February 12 to March 10, 1997. The model was initialized and forced with oceanographic and atmospheric data collected onboard the R/V Knorr during the first field program of the Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment. An ocean mixed layer depth close to 1300m was predicted and verified using the observed data. A sensitivity study was conducted using deviations from observations as input to determine how variations in atmospheric forcing could lead to the observed and even deepened ocean mixed layer. Observed Conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) data were used to verify the model's spatial and temporal predictions of mixed layer temperature, salinity and depth. Model predicted mixed layer depths were usually slightly deeper than those observed. The final model output predicted temperature rather accurately, but model predicted salinity values were consistently low. A variety of sensitivity studies gave new insight to the individual influences of surface fluxes, momentum stresses, precipitation, salinity and individual storm variations to the mixed layer temperature, salinity and depth of the Labrador Sea.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Meteorology
Oceanography
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
ix, 76 p.;28 cm.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.