[ESAC Student Seminar] Sean Chen

Title: On the Pathways of Deep Western Boundary Current in the Northwest Atlanitc Ocean

Abstract: The North Atlantic Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) is considered the lower limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and transports water masses and tracers from the subpolar North Atlantic to the equator and, subsequently, the deep South Atlantic Ocean. While past observations have identified the cores of DWBC and and its interactions with the Gulf Stream at the surface near Cape Hatteras, the pathways of ventilation between the Grand Banks and Cape Hatteras appear complex, and the influence of near-bottom processes and deep mesoscale eddies on these pathways are not well understood. In this talk, I’ll present ongoing work on the ventilation pathways in the deep western North Atlantic Ocean from an eddy-resolving regional model simulation with high near-bottom vertical resolution, with some preliminary results focusing on deep eddy kinetic energy, deep cyclonic eddies, and tracer pathways. This work aims to better establish the timescales and patterns of deep ventilation pathways in the region, which may be crucial for understanding the deep ocean’s response to anthropogenic climate change.

ESAC Student Seminar Series —

A forum for students and postdocs to share recent research, hone presentation skills, and build community among peers, sponsored by the EAPS Student Advisory Committee. Open to current EAPS graduate and undergraduate students and postdocs. Typically hosted on Thursdays during the semester, including pizza lunch.

Contact: esac.officers@gmail.com