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National Science Foundation Award #9218810

Structure and Evolution of Southern Ocean Mesocyclones usingMultiple Satellite Systems

 
Investigator(s): Kristina Katsaros (PI) ; Lynn McMurdie (Co-PI)
Sponsor: University of Washington, WA 98105 2065434043
Start Date/Expiration Date 1993-06-01 to 1996-11-30 (amended 1995-04-04)
Awarded Amount to Date: $189,422
Abstract: The proposed project is a study to determine the meteorological characteristics of Southern Ocean mesocyclones by combining Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) data, TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) data, and satellite-based radar altimeter data for selected case studies of mesoscale cyclone occurrences, and validating these characteristics with European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses. It is a joint project of the University of Washington and Indiana University. The project will use retrieved satellite observations of winds, atmospheric moisture, and thermal parameters that will be applied to mesocyclones previously identified and catalogued from satellite image analyses. Included in the analyses will be an evaluation of the performance of SSM/I algorithms in retrieving surface winds and moisture parameters. For the austral winter of 1992 wind vector information obtained from the European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-1) scatterometer will be included. The large-scale environment in which these mesocyclones occur will be studied by comparison with fields of diagnostic variables taken from the ECMWF synoptic analyses. The expected result of this project is the development of a conceptual and statistical model of Southern Ocean mesocyclone evolution. This is a necessary first step toward the inclusion of polar low processes in operational numerical analysis and prediction schemes, and the determination of their role in the general circulation of the atmosphere.
NSF Org: OPP - Office of Polar Programs
Award Number: 9218810
Award Instrument: Continuing grant
Program Manager: Bernhard Lettau
OPP Office of Polar Programs
O/D OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
NSF Program(s): ANTARCTIC OCEANS & CLIMATE SYS, ANTARCTIC OCEANS & CLIMATE SYS
Field Application(s): Atmospheric Sciences, Polar Programs-Related
Program Reference Code(s): CLIMATE MODELING & PREDICTION, 1303
UNASSIGNED, 0000
Program Element Code(s): 5113
, 5113