Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/D002478/1
Attribution of climate change in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean: exploiting tritium-helium data and adjoint sensitivity analyses
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor RG Williams, University of Liverpool, Earth Surface Dynamics
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor CJ Ballentine, University of Oxford, Earth Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr CF Postlethwaite, National Oceanography Centre, Science and Technology
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr VM Roussenov, University of Liverpool, Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Liverpool, Earth Surface Dynamics
- Science Area:
- Marine
- Atmospheric
- Overall Classification:
- Marine
- ENRIs:
- Global Change
- Science Topics:
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Ocean Circulation
- Ocean - Atmosphere Interact.
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- There is uncertainity in how the North Atlantic operates in the climate system in terms of its heat content and biological export of organic matter, which ultimately affects how the ocean uptakes excess carbon from the atmosphere. For example, over the last 50 years, there has been an increase in heat content in the subtropical North Atlantic, associated with an increase in volume of both upper thermocline water (18 to 24C) and cold thermocline waters (4 to 10C), but a decrease in other neighbouring temperature classes. This proposal aims to understand how the subtropical North Atlantic operates in the climate system by analysing tritium-helium observations along 36N and 25W across the basin. The inferred tritium-helium age provides a measure of the elapsed time since the water was last in contact with the atmosphere. The measurements of tritium-helium age will be used to understand: 1. How ventilation controls the observed changes in heat content in the subtropical North Atlantic; 2. To identify the rate of export of organic matter which is diagnosed indirectly from the rate of oxygen utilisation using the tritium-helium age. The reliability of the data signals will be assessed by comparying with a circulation model and its adjoint. The sensitivity of the climate change, the export of organic matter and cycling of nutrients, will then be understood by using the same model and its adjoint, which efficiently identifies the effect of changes in external forcing and model physics.
- Period of Award:
- 23 May 2006 - 22 Aug 2010
- Value:
- £249,054 Lead Split Award
Authorised funds only
- NERC Reference:
- NE/D002478/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £249,054
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Indirect Costs | Total - Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £7,064 | £144,531 | £12,572 | £66,484 | £18,404 |
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