Ocean Observing and Climate
OVAC Theme 1 - Investigating Propagating Features with an Ocean/Atmosphere Model
A simple model of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system (click to enlarge)
The earth's climate is governed by the dynamics and the interaction of two systems: the oceans and the atmosphere. They behave very differently, and so have traditionally been studied in isolation. However, the oceans and atmosphere communicate with each other by exchanging heat and momentum across the air-sea interface. This communication, or coupling effect, involves dynamic feedbacks where each system is being continuously altered by the presence of the other system. The model shown schematically in the figure below is a relatively simple coupled model, which can be used to study the evolution and propagation of planetary waves and temperature anomalies under the influence of coupling.
Coupled models are relatively common in the climate modelling community today. One limitation of many coupled models is that computer resources dictate that the resolution at which the ocean is modelled is relatively low. Therefore, models might include the basic structure of ocean circulation, but cannot simulate more detailed features, such as mesoscale eddies. The simple model shown here has eliminated some of the detailed and computationally expensive physics which is included in comprehensive models, and thus can be run at very high ocean resolution. This will allow a study into the effect of non-linear propagating features in the ocean (such as eddies) upon the long-term behaviour of the coupled climate system.
Links to OVAC Theme 1 Research
North Atlantic Agulhas Current Model Investigations Planetary Waves Observations Planetary Waves Theories
