A study and monitoring of the Indo-Atlantic connections. A process study and a contribution to CLIVAR - Southern Ocean
While the Southern Ocean dynamics is suspected to have a majr role in the global ocean circulation and present day climate, our understanding of its three-dimensional dynamics and variability, and the impact of such variability on the climate system is at best rudimentary.
The GoodHope project aims to partilally fill in this knowledge gap by periodic observations along a line betwween the African and the Antartic continents.
The objectives are fourfold:
- A better understanding of Indo-Atantic interocean exchanges (in term of water masses, heat and fresh water budgets) and their impact on the global thermohaline circulation and present day climate
- A better understanding oft the interocean exchanges on the local climate of the African continent
- A monitoring of the variability of particular dynamical features of the Southern Ocean (Antartic Circumpolar current, frontal systems, ...)
- A study of the local air-sea exchanges in the Agulhas retroflection region)
Monitoring the GoodHope transect ill be accomplished using a combination of the following observational tools: Altimetry, high density XBTs, XCTDs, profiling floats, subsurface floats, drifters, thermosalinographs.
Scientific contact : speich@univ-brest.fr Michel.Arhan@ifremer.fr