Ocean circulation modelling (May 2007)

Project Investigator Professor Ric Williams

Scientific/ Technical Objectives

Our research focuses on the physical processes controlling the structure of the ocean and their influence on the climate system.

We are currently exploring how the physical forcing affects the observed decadal changes in heat content over the North Atlantic, which reveal how the tropics are warming and the high latitudes are cooling. We are examining how these signals are formed via the atmospheric forcing and how they spread within the ocean using model experiments. We plan on identifying the sensitivity of the heat content changes using an adjoint, inverse model approach developed at MIT.

In collaboration with Dr J. Sharples (POL), we are developing new ways of modelling ecosystem changes in the North Atlantic and coastal ocean taking an ensemble approach developed at MIT. This initiative is supported by POL for 6 months and will form the basis of a NERC grant application this summer.

Role of NW-GRID Several of the circulation models involve large simulations that take weeks, leading into months, of computing time on modest node configurations. The "new" NW-GRID cluster coming from POL had proved an important compute resource for this research in the past.

Applications Software In-house modelling codes

Grid Software Condor-G

Progress to date (projected to start May 2007)

Publications