Co-Investigators:
M. McPhaden
M. Verschell
J. Christian
S. Signorini
M. Friedrichs

Physical-Biological Interactions in the Tropical Pacific and Atlantic Equatorial Surface Layers

(Collab with E. Hofmann)
NASA, 36 months
 

PROJECT SUMMARY:

The research proposed under this NSF-NASA Research Announcement will access the magnitude and spatial-temporal variability of primary production in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans on seasonal and interannual time scales.  The effort will involve the analysis of satellite ocean color data and the development of 1-D and basin-scale coupled physical and biological models.  Particular emphasis will be placed on (a) evaluation of empirical satellite productivity algorithms in the tropics, (b) variability in the pigment and productivity fields, (c) the response of the equatorial ecosystem to physical forcing, (d) the feedbacks on physical fields, e.g. heat fluxes and circulation, that result from changes in the biological quantities, and (e) the improvements in simulation skill that can be achieved by assimilating biological data into both one-dimensional and basin-scale models.  The research will require data products from multiple ocean color missions, sea surface temperature, sea level from altimeter missions and tide guage stations, wind fields from operational meteorological centers and NSCAT, and a variety of in situ oceanographic and meteorological data, e.g. the JGOFS EqPAC and TOGA/TAO data sets.  The investigators form a multidisciplinary team with specialties in biological oceanography, physical oceanography, marine remote sensing and numerical modeling.
 

Charles R. McClain
Code 971/Oceans & Ice Branch
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Project Manager/SeaWiFS & SIMBIOS
Greenbelt, MD  20771
tel: (301) 286-5377
fax: (301) 286-0240
mcclain@calval.gsfc.nasa.gov

Chet Koblinski
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD  20771
tel: (301) 286-2880
chet@neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov

Marlon Lewis
Department of Oceanography
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4J1
Canada
tel: (902) 494-3513
fax: (902) 494-2039
marlon@predator.ocean.dal.ca

Ragu Murtugudde
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Code 970/Bldg 33
Greenbelt, MD 20771
NASA/GSFC
tel:  (301) 286-2071
ragu@maya.gsfc.nasa.gov

Ichio Asanuma
Japan Marine Science & Technology Center
690, Kitasekine
Mutsu, Aomori, Japan 035
tel: 81-175-45-1041
fax: 81-175-25-3029
asanumai@jamstec.go.jp

Antonio Busalacchi
Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Code 970, Bldg. 22, Room 274
Greenbelt, MD 20771
tel: (301) 286-6171
fax: (301) 286-1761
tonyb@neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov

Michael J. McPhaden
NOAA/PMEL
7600 Sand Point Way N.E.
Seattle, WA 98115-0070
tel: (206) 526-6783
fax: (206) 526-6744
mcphaden@pmel.noaa.gov

Mark Verschell
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Code 970
Greenbelt, MD 20771
tel: (301) 286-2027
fax: (301) 286-1761
verschel@amarone.gsfc.nasa.gov

James Christian
Universities Space Research Association
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 970.2
Greenbelt, MD 20771
tel: (301) 286-9911
fax: (301) 286-1775
jrc@bluefin.gsfc.nasa.gov

Sergio Signorini
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Bldg 28
Greenbelt, MD 20771 UNITED STATES
tel: (301) 286-9891
sergio@bluefin.gsfc.nasa.gov

Marjy Friedrichs
Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography
Old Dominion University
Crittenton Hall
768 West 52nd Street
Norfolk, VA 23529
marjy@ccpo.odu.edu