Werner Lab Research

• Ocean Processes Numerical Modeling Laboratory (OPNML)
(Cisco Werner and Brian Blanton)

The OPNML employs recent advances in coastal ocean modeling in studying a variety of physical and biological processes including tidal propagation, larval recruitment and population dynamics, general circulation and hydrography. Additionally, forward and inverse (data assimilating) versions of the models are used in the development of coastal ocean prediction systems in the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) region of the eastern United States coast. The primary tool for this research is a suite of finite element ocean models that allow flexible resolution of a variety of spatial scales that incorporate ocean tides to estuarine dynamics (Figure 3.28).

A digital monthly climatology of the South Atlantic Bight (Blanton et al, 2003) has been developed that incorporates 50 years of regional observations of temperature and salinity (TS). The resulting mean monthly TS fields serve as initialization fields for baroclinic simulations in the SAB as well as background fields against which to determine anomalous months (Aretaxabaleta et al, 2005). Figure 3.29 shows the August climatological mean temperature and the August 2003 observed cool water temperature anomaly from the cross-shelf transect in Figure 3.28. These conditions were present through out much of the SAB during the summer of 2003, and the dynamic causes and effects are being investigated.

Model-based methods are being used to examine the connectivity between larval spawning grounds and larval recruitment sites in the SAB. Figure 3.30 shows observed and modeled drifter tracks along the Georgia coast. These results are helping to understand the design of networks of

Fig. 3.30a

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) along the SAB continental shelf (Edwards et al, 2005). Cod are an important commercial fishery in the Gulf of Maine region. Figure 3.30b shows the 24 hour growth rate of cod, based on a larval cod trophodynamic model and the observed temperature and prey field distributions on Georges Bank for April 1995 (Runge et al, 2005). Collaborators include R. Luettich, H. Seim (UNC-CH); J. Runge (UNH); D. Lynch (Dartmouth College), J. Quinlan (Rutgers).

Fig. 3.30b

• SABSOON, SABLAM and SEACOOS
(Harvey Seim, Cisco Werner, Brian Blanton and John Bane)

The South Atlantic Bight Synoptic Offshore Observational Network (SABSOON) was initiated in 1998 as a government/academia partnership to develop ocean observatory capabilities off the Georgia coast (Seim, 2000). The focus of the program was to instrument Navy-owned platforms with oceanographic and meteorological sensors to provide real-time information of the coastal ocean state. The program is entering its sixth year and continues to expand. A number of multi-year datasets now document shelf conditions throughout the year, and are revealing the nature of seasonal and interannual variability and a range of processes on the shelf including internal tides, benthic resuspension events and coherent offshore transport events.

The South Atlantic Bight Limited Area Modeling program was a NOPP-funded follow-on program to the initial SABSOON program that sought to develop a coastal ocean nowcast/forecast system that utilized the real-time SABSOON observations through data assimilation. It has significantly advanced our understanding of the tidal dynamics in the South Atlantic Bight and begun to clarify the importance (Blanton et al, 2003) and variability of density field on the shelf.

The SEACOOS program is an ONR-funded effort to plan and serve as a pilot regional coastal ocean observing system (Seim et al., 2003). It involves the simultaneous development of observing, modeling, data management and outreach/education activities in a coordinated fashion to enable a real-time information system for a significant portion of the US coastal ocean. The SABSOON and SABLAM programs were precursors to the SEACOOS regional activity and allowed the program to ramp up quickly. SEACOOS has a broader extent and includes new observing capabilities along the NC coastline (e.g., Stearns et al., 2004) as well as off the east and west coasts of Florida. Funding is provided by ONR and NASA; collaborators include Nelson, Jahnke, (SABSOON); and Lynch, McGuillicuddy and Welsh (SABLAM).