Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Internal-wave Contribution to mIxing: A Critical Latitude Experiment  (ICICLE (Internal-wave Contribution to mixing: A Critical Latitude Experiment))

Outline
The kinetic energy available for oceanic mixing is extracted from large scales and, in a simplified view, funnelled through an energy cascade to smaller scales, ultimately leading to dissipation and mixing. Topography plays an important role in this energy transfer (e.g., by extracting energy from barotropic tides; enhanced diapycnal mixing over rough topography). The stress driven boundary mixing, generation of lee waves, reflection of internal waves from critical slopes, scattering of barotropic tide over rough topography, and deep solitons are some of the major mechanisms involved in ocean mixing. The mixing has large-scale consequences that influence the ocean circulation and need to be better understood and subsequently better represented in climate models. The proposed project aims to investigate mixing processes as internal waves interact with sloping boundaries, especially near (and north of) the critical latitude for semidiurnal (M2) frequency. Field observations from micro to mesoscale are planned at the continental slope near Bjørnøya and that west of Spitsbergen. Data will be contrasted to results from internal wave modelling. The main scientific objectives are 1) to measure the internal wave climate near M2 critical latitude and at the Spitsbergen continental slope and contrast it to the mid-latitude shelf and deep-ocean internal-wave spectra 2) to determine the critical latitude effects and establish a simple energy budget for mixing at the sites 3) to advance knowledge of mixing induced by breaking internal gravity waves 4) to apply and evaluate existing internal wave-wave interaction parameterizations for diapycnal mixing by measuring O(5m) vertical resolution shear (vertical derivative of horizontal current) and strain (vertical derivative of isopycnal displacement) profiles and dissipation profiles (by microstructure profilers) and finally 5) because the sites are on the path of the Atlantic Water (AW), to examine mean flow-internal wave interaction and the possible effects on extracting heat from the climatically important AW.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Existing internal wave-wave interaction parameterizations, often successful in the open-ocean, will be tested and improved for high latitude continental slope/shelf conditions. Such parameterizations will improve the representation of boundary mixing in large scale climate models. Furthermore a better understanding of the internal wave, topography interaction and critical latitude effects will be achieved. [Other UK: 3) Proudman Oceanogrphic Laboratory: near-bed shear stress measurements, regional modelling. 4) Uni.of Wales: near-bed turbulence] q2_1_Location : Bjørnøya, Svalbard, Western Barents Sea

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
1) University of Bergen: logistics, continuation of ADCP time-series for inter-annual variability; CTD analysis (Thorpe scales, seasonal variations) 2) Netherlands Institute for Sea Research: cruises, fast-response thermistor array, analysis and internal wave modelling.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Bjørnøya, Svalbard, Western Barents Sea

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/07 – 08/07 (1 month in total)            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
See SAMS NORTHERN SEAS – ARCTIC EoI for ship and laboratory support (Ny Alesund Marine Lab). Uni. Bergen (UoB) vessel logistics also will be used. Maclean moored profiler. Other instruments to be moored and deployed are available through own funding and international collaboration. Ship time can be shared with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
An invaluable data set will be used to test/improve predictive models. The end products are the data set and tested models. Project will also contribute to arctic moorings and sea bed observatories (multi-instrumented for biological and physical parameters) – see SAMS NORTHERN SEAS – ARCTIC EoI.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency
Own support
Other sources of support

Instrumentation is available by own funding and international collaboration. Time frame for the field work is typical of the scientific cruises that SAMS and UoB request to the area (additional UK ship time may be necessary). Funding for the moored profiler will be sought through the Norwegian Research Council.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
It is under consideration by the UK IPY Committee. It is an extension of the existing SAMS and POL 2001-06 science programmes, approved and funded by NERC UK, reviewed and endorsed by the 2004 Science and Management Audit, and will be reviewed in 2006.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
New

This is a free-standing activity. It will provide valuable information for the Polar Ocean Climate Processes (ProClim- funded by NRC) with focus at the same geographical areas. It is an extension of the SAMS Northern Seas 2 programme (a coordinated approach to multidisciplinary marine studies in the European Arctic www.sams.ac.uk.)

How will the project be organised and managed?
Upon funding, the project will be managed for the UK by the PI. Dr Mark Inall at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, including acting as Principal Scientist for any UK ship provision. This will be in close liaison with the Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, where Dr. Ilker Fer will lead the management, scientific coordination and field work. The Netherlands PI will be Dr. Hans van Haren. Logistic coordination is carried out with the British Antarctic Survey, Norwegian Polar Institute and Kings Bay Company.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
SAMS students are part of the Arctic Universities Network and have enrolled with UNIS (http://www.unis.no). SAMS is associate member of ARCTOS (http://www.nfh.uit.no/arctos/). SAMS and POL have Education and Outreach and Knowledge Transfer officers for dissemination of research to public and commercial arenas. Lectures are anticipated during the Svalbard summer school.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Successful, conventional end products will be produced by national marine data centres (BODC for UK; NMD for NO; DMG/NIOZ for Netherlands). More complex data sets (e.g. turbulence measurements) will be made available upon publication. All UK data will be managed by BODC and made available after a period for analysis.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The SAMS Northern Seas Programme is funded by a 5-year grant from the UK NERC. Additional funding is obtained from competitive grant capture from NERC, and the EU Framework programmes, and from responsive mode proposals Norway and the Netherlands. SAMS is a consortium partner MariClim (funded by the NRC).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
A similar EoI is to be considered by the national committee of Norway. Ongoing projects in the Arctic are described at www.sams.ac.uk/reserch.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Mark Inall
Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Oban
Argyll, Scotland
PA37 1QA
UK

Tel: 44 1631 559267
Mobile: no
Fax: 44 1631 559001
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation