The Weddell Sea circulation and its interaction with the Antarctic Sea-Ice: Implications to large scale ocean circulation and climate.

• Grant number: 09/15534-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: March 01, 2010
• End date: May 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Physical Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Ilana Elazari Klein Coaracy Wainer
• Grantee: Virna Loana Meccia
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

For this work, a study of the role of the Southern-Ocean/South Atlantic sector circulation on the global climate focusing on the atmosphere-ocean-sea ice interactions is proposed. Due to the complexity of the circulation and water masses formation in the region, it is necessary to carry out oriented process studies in order to better understand the atmosphere-ocean-sea ice interactions. In that sense, the numerical models that permit controlling the forcing parameters and obtaining a high resolution results, emerge as an adequate tool for this purpose. Following this aim, a hydrodynamic regional model will be implemented to study the Southern Ocean circulation, in particular the Weddell Sea. An ice shelf parameterization will be coupled to the hydrodynamic model in order to evaluate the ocean-sea ice interaction processes in this area of AABW formation. Specifically, the question of dense water formation and its dependency on sea-ice/ice shelves interactions will be linked to the main processes by which the deeper ocean can exchange heat with the surface layers: convection, mesoscale eddy-induced isopycnal mixing (along density contours), and diapycnal mixing (across density contours). Finally, the system response to the climate change scenarios will be addressed.