Department of Physics and Physical
Oceanography Colloquium
Summer Fellowship Seminars
"Characterizing Stratification in the Arabian
Sea”
Derek Grimes
Stratification stabilizes the water column, suppressing vertical processes and hence affecting
the transport of heat, gases, and nutrients. Given the coupling between ocean and atmosphere,
and that sea surface temperature (SST) is affected by stratification, how is our climate
influenced by stratification changes? To identify how such changes impact global climate, it is
necessary to establish what controls stratification, beginning with regional characteristics. The
Arabian Sea presents an excellent subject for stability analysis; its monsoonal wind patterns
provide high variability in surface forcing and turbulent mixing, and high evaporation yields high
salinity surface waters that oppose its high surface temperatures. Temperature and salinity
measurements from Argo profiling floats (every10 days to 2000 m) were analyzed, and their
relative contributions to stratification were quantified using the Brunt-Vaisala frequency. A
strong semiannual signal was observed and is apparently due to the monsoonal wind forcing,
modulated by seasonal surface heat fluxes. Analysis of regions with differing eddy kinetic
energy was also conducted, and those findings presented herein.
Friday, November 2, 2012
2:00 PM
DeLoach Hall, Room 212