Interactions of mesoscale eddies and sea ice

Fundamental questions remain on how polar oceans will respond to climate change and how rapidly changes will occur. Based on observations made from satellite, there is growing evidence that ocean and sea ice interact at scales on the order of a few tens of kilometers, the mesoscale. However, it is not clear how exactly the ocean is shaping the sea ice cover and what is its subsequent impact on sea ice melt. This project makes use of numerical simulations of the ocean and its sea ice cover. With the help of these simulations, which aim at representing approximately the Southern Ocean, the direct and indirect effects of the mesoscale on sea ice in areas of high sea ice concentrations will be investigated. These impacts could be mechanical, induced by the motions of sea ice and water, or thermodynamical, driven by the heat stored in the ocean. Several simulations will be analyzed to account for different oceanic and atmospheric conditions in order to improve our understanding of the mesoscale’s influence on sea ice in a changing climate.

Faculty Supervisor:

Carolina Dufour

Student:

Partner:

California Institute of Technology

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

McGill University

Program: