Ocean mixing and circulation response in the marginal ice zone.

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Author
Markham, David Gregory
Date
1983-06Advisor
Garwood, Roland W. Jr.
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Show full item recordAbstract
The purpose of this research was to develop a coupled sea ice-ocean
model capable of simulating the upper ocean circulation features of the
Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) . A sea ice model using the Rossby-similarity
method was added to a two-dimensional, embedded ocean general circulation—
mixed layer model. Advection, diffusion, and mixing of buoyancy
and momentum were included in the model to determine their effects on
the ocean response. In particular, the case of Northern Hemisphere ice
edge upwelling was investigated. Ice edge upwelling was created for a
down-ice geostrophic wind and varying surface buoyancy flux forcing. It
appeared in model solutions for both stationary and moving ice covers
and is driven by a divergence in the oceanic surface transport across
the ice edge. These results are supported by the observations of the
NORSEX group in the Greenland Sea MIZ (Johannessen et.al. 1983) . For an
up-ice geostrophic wind, the upper ocean response was modified by the
buoyancy forcing and ice motion. The combined effects of the wind forcing
and ice motion due to a nonstationary ice cover caused weak downwelling
at the ice edge. Application of a downward surface buoyancy
flux (simulating ice melting) resulted in a 8 m elevation of the mixed
layer depth at the ice edge, or upwelling, next to the downwelling. The
existence of this dual (upwelling and downwelling) feature at the ice
edge differs from the weak downwelling predicted by Roed and O'Brien
(1983) . Adding the effects of mixing had a significant impact on the
upper ocean circulation response and should be incorporated in future
models of dynamical MIZ processes.
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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.Collections
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