Project description
New ocean modelling offers better climate predictions
Ocean currents are critically important to our global climate system, but ocean dynamics are not well understood or characterised, leaving a significant gap in current climate modelling. To address this, DYNACLIM is combining satellite observations of salinity, sea surface temperature and sea surface height with ocean dynamics models. Researchers will apply their new approach to the Arctic ocean and the Mediterranean Sea - both important regions in our understanding of the climate crisis as more advanced data on salinity is available. Improving our understanding in these areas will contribute to better European policies to reduce the climatic impact of maritime transport, and add urgency to climate warnings around melting ice in the Arctic.
Objective
By transporting heat and energy, ocean currents play a major role in shaping the climate of Earth’s many regions. However, characterization of ocean dynamics remains one of the key problems in oceanography. This project addresses the reconstruction of ocean currents from satellite observations. Using two semi-analytical quasi-geostrophic models and proposing a new numerical approach, this proposal aims to exploit the available spatiotemporal sampling capacity of remotely sensed salinity synergistically with sea surface temperature and sea surface high to reconstruct the ocean three-dimensional dynamics. This approach will be applied to the Arctic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea; two regions of relevant importance in order to better understand the consequences of climate change and where enhanced satellite salinity products are recently being produced. Reinforcing knowledge both on the Mediterranean and Arctic dynamics represent a community priority as they represent key navigation areas, the Mediterranean Sea for its actual navigation transit and the Arctic Ocean if the near future makes ice melting worst predictions a reality and the possibility to navigate through the Northern Pole opens. Moreover, improving the circulation understanding in these areas would also contribute to European politics to reduce the climatic impact of maritime transport contamination.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technology
- social sciencessocial geographytransport
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesoceanography
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
28006 Madrid
Spain