Collaborative Research: Exploring the Role of Internal Wave Generation in Gravity Currents

合作研究：探索重力流中内波产生的作用

• 批准号: 0825297
• 负责人: Hartmut Peters
• 金额: $ 11.43万
• 依托单位: Earth and Space Research
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-10-01 至 2010-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0825297&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Exploring; Role; Internal

Entrainment in dense oceanic gravity currents has been studied intensively in the past owing to its importance for the oceanic overturning circulation. These studies contain only little examination of the actual processes that produce the entrainment, and have historically not been linked the generation of internal gravity waves (IGWs) with gravity current flows. This contrasts many atmospheric studies of atmospheric down slope wind flows in which IGW generation has been found to be an essential process and responsible for a significant amount of momentum transfer. In oceanic overflows, few historical observations capture the scales necessary to detect internal wave generation. However, based on a reanalysis of the limited available data, at least some overflows have a vertical structure and range of temporal scales conducive to IGW generation. We hypothesize that IGW generation represents a momentum sink in the Mediterranean Outflow (Med Outflow). The project will examine the presence, characteristics, and dynamic role of IGWs in the Med Outflow in collaboration with Spanish scientists. Two short-term moorings and intensive shipboard LADCP/CTD surveys are planed to explore the IGW structure and to examine if it is likely to be important for gravity current dynamics and entrainment. This study offers a strategic opportunity to initiate an international, European-American collaboration.

由于其对海洋倾覆的循环的重要性，过去对密集的海洋重力电流的夹带进行了深入的研究。这些研究仅几乎没有对产生夹带的实际过程的检查，并且从历史上看没有将内部重力波（IGW）与重力电流流的产生联系起来。这与许多大气下倾斜风流的大气研究对比，其中发现IGW的产生是一个必不可少的过程，并导致了大量的动量转移。在海洋溢出中，很少有历史观察捕获了检测内部波浪产生所需的量表。但是，基于对有限的可用数据的重新分析，至少有些溢出具有有利于IGW生成的垂直结构和范围。我们假设IGW代表地中海流出（MED流出）中的动量下沉。该项目将与西班牙科学家合作研究IGW在MED流出中的存在，特征和动态作用。计划进行两次短期系泊和密集的船板LADCP/CTD调查，以探索IGW结构，并检查它是否对重力电流动态和夹带是否重要。这项研究提供了一个战略机会，可以发起国际，欧美合作。