Niels Bohr Institutet > Kalender - det sker på NBI > 2009 > Talk by Amala Mahadeva...
Talk by Amala Mahadevan, Boston University
Physical-biological interactions in the upper ocean
Recent observations and modeling at high resolution reveal richness in
biological and physical structure on lateral scales ranging from meters
to kilometers. Physical processes at the kilometer scale, termed
submesoscale, enhance exchange between the pycnocline and surface, play
a crucial role in changing the upper-ocean stratification, facilitate
cross-frontal transport, and consequently have a strong influence on
phytoplankton growth and production. Using numerical modeling to
describe upper ocean processes, I will examine the interaction of
physical processes and phytoplankton production in three different
settings: the subtropical gyres, seasonally productive high latitude
oceans, and coastal upwelling zones.