Southern Ocean Dynamics A Strategy for Scientific Exploration, 1973-1983 (1974) / Chapter Skim
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GENERAL OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAM SUMMARY
GENERAL OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAM SUMMARY
Pages 3-11
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From page 3... ...
Therefore, the recommended dynamics experiments in the Southern Ocean have two major scientific goals. The first is to use the Southern Ocean as a unique geophysical laboratory for process-oriented studies of the timedependent dynamics and air-sea interaction of large-scale ocean currents and frontal zones.
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The antarctic currents link the world's major oceans, and deep antarctic convection sends both slowly moving water and swifter western boundary currents equatorward. The main thermocline in the ocean is maintained by the resulting gentle upward flow.
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The specific goals here are to measure, isolate, and understand the air-sea processes responsible for bottom-water formation and to monitor the amount of bottom water formed as a function of time in order to determine its input to the general abyssal circulation. In addition, we need to isolate the air-sea exchange processes at the polar frontal zones in order to parameterize these into large-scale air-sea interaction models.
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From page 6... ...
. The change in location of that chapter in no way diminishes the Working Group's opinion of the fundamental importance of sea-ice-air interactions in polar regions; in fact, the Working Group notes that proper ice-dynamics studies will be an essential part of an Antarctic Bottom Water formation experiment and of the overall budget studies.
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From page 7... ...
Finally, understanding of the physical environmental processes in the atmosphere and ocean surrounding the Antarctic continent could eventually lead to an economically and ecologically sound development of the region. With improved local weather, ice, and sea condition predictions, and improvement in navigational aids, a rational development of the potential resources of the continent and its ocean can be planned.
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From page 8... ...
The existing data base and recent developments in ocean engineering do, however, allow us to consider now a new phase of observation: long-term monitoring of the dynamics and specific experiments designed to probe the basic physics and interaction processes. We recommend in the chapters that follow a series of experiments designed to explore in depth three major areas: the dynamics of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current; the mechanisms and variability of Antarctic Bottom Water formation; and the role of exchange processes in strong frontal zones and overall budgets.
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From page 9... ...
Therefore, we recommend that the management of such a program include a continuing effort to review conceptual design, strategy, and interaction among Southern Ocean experiments and on collaboration between this regional and other global oceanographic and meteorological programs. We note that the international interest in antarctic oceanography suggests that these experiments could be done together with national oceanography organizations of other countries.
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From page 10... ...
A program emphasizing presently available measurement techniques for the study of the large-scale transient dynamics of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and its role in the general ocean circulation; 2. A program for direct observation of the processes involved in the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water and the determination of the amounts and variability of this formation; 3.
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From page 11... ...
Program Planning, 1973-1983, by the ad hoc Glaciology Working Group of the CPR (National Academy of Sciences, 1974)
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