Multi-Scale Interactions Team
The focus of this group is the interaction of geophysical processes that occur on different spatial and temporal scales. By using both theory and experiment, the multiscale interactions group investigates small-scale oceanic and atmospheric processes and their effect on global-scale geosystems. The group is also involved in developing remote sensing techniques for processes of different scales in the ocean and atmosphere.
Research Highlights
NOAA is increasingly monitoring ocean dynamics and circulation by means of remote sensors that probe its surface from ships, aircraft, and satellites. To infer underlying dynamics from the surface properties revealed by radars, radiometers, and lidars requires fundamental advances in our understanding of the surface manifestations of subsurface processes. One example is the way internal waves and long surface waves (swell) modify the short surface waves with which these sensors interact. Without such understanding, the sensors could give incorrect information about the motions of cold and warm currents, the transport of nutrients and pollutants, and air-sea interactions that affect weather and climate.
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The research has led to SST forecasts for different ocean basins.
These forecasts are often as good as or better than those from coupled ocean/atmosphere models.
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| Satellite scatterometer data indicates importance of wave breaking at high wind speeds for a backscattered signal. Our model takes into account this type of scattering, and its predictions agrees well with scatterometric measurements. Our research is aimed toward improvement of methods of remote measurements of ocean winds and fluxes. |
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| GPS signals reflected from sea, ice, and land convey information on their topography, roughness and dielectric properties. Our bistatic scattering models are used by the world research community to retrieve the sea level, ocean winds, Arctic ice thickness, and the surface soil moisture. |
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