Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The primary focus of this study is the day-to-decade variability of the Labrador Sea and its relation to the atmospheric forcing, and the dynamics of adjacent areas of the Northwestern Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The major objective of the research is to study the role of key regional processes for the variability of the Labrador Sea. The short-term objectives are: 1) to develop an eddy-permitting sea-ice model of the Labrador Sea, 2) to apply the model with a data assimilation scheme for ocean and sea-ice simulations of the Labrador Sea, and 3) to conduct a model study of the mesoscale eddies dynamics in the Labrador Sea, and its impact on the interannual variability of heat and water mass transport in the basin. The approach taken in this research combines observations and modeling through: 1) estimation of the ocean state and its variability by using ocean model and data assimilation; 2) statistical and energetic analysis of model simulations, and 3) analysis of the model errors by model and data inter-comparison and identifying the model improvement needed for future studies. Simulations with the model and data assimilation system will be performed for the recent 50 years. The processes of deep convection, seasonal and inter-annual variability of the sea will be studied.The novelty of the work lies in the use of the data assimilation procedure implemented within an eddy-permitting ocean model in order to make a best estimate of the ocean characteristics by using all available observations and an up-date ocean model. The techniques and methods developed in the project will be of broad general significance for the ongoing initiatives for ocean operational modeling. The results will contribute to establishment of an integrated approach for marine studies in the Northwestern Atlantic, as the realistic simulations will be complementary to the observing system. The high degree of realism of the model simulations are favorable for future development of a coupled ecosystem and hydrodynamics model for the Labrador Sea.