Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Monitoring of the upper ocean circulation, transport and water masses between Africa and Antarctica  

Outline
The southwestern Indian Ocean exhibits one of the most dynamic exchanges between warm Agulhas Current and cold Antarctic Circumpolar Current that occur at the continental slope of South Africa. The Agulhas Current that flows along the southeastern African coast separates near the southern tip of the curved continental slope and executes an abrupt anticyclonic loop (the Agulhas Retroflection) and turn back into the Indian Ocean as Agulhas Return Current which is characterized by large-scale meanders caused by topographic features. The thermohaline contrast between these waters and the interaction of the currents with topography promotes fronts which meander to conserve planetary vorticity. These dynamics promotes mixing of diverse water masses (You et al., 2003; Deep-Sea Res II, 50, p 197-228) that reflects on the thermohaline structure. Also, this region is known to contribute warm thermocline water to the North Atlantic overturning circulation (Gordon, 1986; JGR 91, p 5037 - 5046). Focusing on water masses, transport and geostrophic circulation around the Southern Africa region in particular and across the Antarctica Circumpolar Current, it is planned to initiate Expendable Conductivity Temperature Depth observations to monitor seasonal and interannual variation of these important physical oceanographic variables by taking the advantage of Indian Antarctic Programme.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1: Synoptic observations thermohaline structure and distribution of water masses. Theme 2: A data set that serves as a benchmark for comparison with historic data to quantify Southern Ocean changes. Theme 3: A better description of the complex interaction of the subtropical and polar regimes and an improved assessment of the role of the Southern Ocean as a heat sink.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project will be started as a national initiative by a group of young researchers at National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa, India. It is planned to share these experiences/data in near-future with national and international collaborators.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The measurement of temperature and salinity along a near-meridional ship transect, between 12 and 20°E, from Cape Town to the shelf of Antarctica, across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current regime, is being planned. Taking advantage of Antarctica-bound ice-breaker class vessel which transports equipment and cargo to the wintering members of the Indian Antarctica Programme, Expendable Conductivity Temperature Depth (XCTD) probes will be operated from a moving ship to record vertical temperature and salinity profiles of the upper (0-1000m) water column. This data will also help in quantifying the seasonal variability of upper-ocean heat content between subtropical and sub-polar regimes.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 12/05-12/08            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
State-of-art computing and data processing facilities are available at NCAOR. The observations will be done on board ice-breaker class ships that transport men and provisions to the researchers stationed at Maitri, Antarctica. These vessels are equipped with gadgets required to operate XCTDs and other meteorological equipment.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

The ice-breaker class ship requirement will be met by the logistic cell of the National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research, Goa. The high budget for XCTD and data acquisition system is being negotiated with government science and technology agencies.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The funds will be released once the national agencies endorse the project. The personnel involved in this project are a part of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research which is under the umbrella of Department of Ocean Development, Government of India.

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?
No

Yes; the project will begin during December 2005 and culminate in the March 2008 coinciding with the IPY. It is a part of an existing multidisciplinary project entitled: Studies on the hydrodynamics of Indian Ocean sector of Southern Ocean.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The scientific personal will board the ice-breaker class vessel at Cape Town, South Africa during December and carry out XCTD observations along the near-meridional ship's track roughly between 12 and 20°E. The vessel will be anchored at the Antarctica shelf which is ~200 km from Indian station Maitri. On it return journey in March, the same personal will continue with the observations from the Antarctica shelf to Cape Town. The project will be managed by young and dynamic researchers from NCAOR and other national agencies.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Social awareness and lectures on the importance of the Southern Ocean in the regulation of global climate to undergraduate/ graduate/ engineering students is planned. Internet-based access to national and international web sites related to Sciences of Antarctica/ Arctic and the surrounding oceans will be provided to computer-literate masses on CDROM and other multimedia. Additionally, the scientists have planned to publish articles in national newspapers and magazines to apprise the common men of the importance of the expensive project and research output. More priority will be given in involving junior research fellows in data collection campaign.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management will be undertaken by national data archival agencies in line with international standards.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The XCTD probes and data acquisition system cost, which absorbs most of the budget will be borne by the government agencies. It is the intention of the researchers to bid for additional funds from national IPY Announcements of Opportunity.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Interested researchers from other countries may also collaborate.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Alvarinho Luis
National centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Dept of ocean Development, Govt. of India
Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama
Goa
403804
India

Tel: +91 832 2520863
Mobile: no
Fax: +91 832 2520871/73/77
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation