The impact of increased grid resolution on the mixed layer depth variability in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean

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dc.contributor.advisorAnsorge, Isabelle Janeen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, Tania Carolen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-26T12:23:06Z
dc.date.available2016-07-26T12:23:06Z
dc.date.issued2016en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe Southern Ocean plays a major role in global climate system. An understanding of Southern Ocean dynamics allows for a better understanding of the carbon cycle and possible future climate conditions. Earth System Models are used to study Southern Ocean dynamics and are currently producing reliable global annual carbon uptake but have limiting seasonal abilities. These models produce dependable results on a global scale, with more conflicting results on a basin scale. Here we study the impact of mesoscale variability on the Mixed Layer Depth in the Sub-Tropical and Sub-Antarctic Zone of the South Atlantic. The region is hugely impacted by the mesoscale variability as a result of the South African boundary currents. We use two regional simulations both at 1/4o resolution, with one model containing online nested child domain over the South African boundary currents (1/12o resolution). The inter-annual simulations both use the same forcing which allow for a comparison study between the two models. Both the nested and standalone model are able to capture the large scale oceanographic features in the domain. The biggest difference is seen in the Agulhas Current region, where the nested model simulates better mesoscale features, resulting in a fairly accurate position of the Agulhas retroflection and return current. The standalone model contains a high temperature and salinity bias which influences the vertical structure of the water column. Both models are able to simulate the seasonality of the MLD in the Sub-Tropical and Sub-Antarctic Zone in the Atlantic sector. The models overestimate MLD in regions closer to the boundary currents. In the nested model the presence of increased mesoscale features promotes stratification of the water column. The differences seen in the MLD of the two models are linked to the temperature and salinity bias in the standalone model as well as the increased mesoscale variability in the nested model.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationWilliams, T. C. (2016). <i>The impact of increased grid resolution on the mixed layer depth variability in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20814en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationWilliams, Tania Carol. <i>"The impact of increased grid resolution on the mixed layer depth variability in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20814en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationWilliams, T. 2016. The impact of increased grid resolution on the mixed layer depth variability in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Williams, Tania Carol AB - The Southern Ocean plays a major role in global climate system. An understanding of Southern Ocean dynamics allows for a better understanding of the carbon cycle and possible future climate conditions. Earth System Models are used to study Southern Ocean dynamics and are currently producing reliable global annual carbon uptake but have limiting seasonal abilities. These models produce dependable results on a global scale, with more conflicting results on a basin scale. Here we study the impact of mesoscale variability on the Mixed Layer Depth in the Sub-Tropical and Sub-Antarctic Zone of the South Atlantic. The region is hugely impacted by the mesoscale variability as a result of the South African boundary currents. We use two regional simulations both at 1/4o resolution, with one model containing online nested child domain over the South African boundary currents (1/12o resolution). The inter-annual simulations both use the same forcing which allow for a comparison study between the two models. Both the nested and standalone model are able to capture the large scale oceanographic features in the domain. The biggest difference is seen in the Agulhas Current region, where the nested model simulates better mesoscale features, resulting in a fairly accurate position of the Agulhas retroflection and return current. The standalone model contains a high temperature and salinity bias which influences the vertical structure of the water column. Both models are able to simulate the seasonality of the MLD in the Sub-Tropical and Sub-Antarctic Zone in the Atlantic sector. The models overestimate MLD in regions closer to the boundary currents. In the nested model the presence of increased mesoscale features promotes stratification of the water column. The differences seen in the MLD of the two models are linked to the temperature and salinity bias in the standalone model as well as the increased mesoscale variability in the nested model. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2016 T1 - The impact of increased grid resolution on the mixed layer depth variability in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean TI - The impact of increased grid resolution on the mixed layer depth variability in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20814 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/20814
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationWilliams TC. The impact of increased grid resolution on the mixed layer depth variability in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography, 2016 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20814en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Oceanographyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherOceanographyen_ZA
dc.titleThe impact of increased grid resolution on the mixed layer depth variability in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Oceanen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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