image: Satellite image of the Gulf Stream, part of the Atlantic meridional overturning current being studied by University of Miami researchers Drs. Peter Minnett and George Haliwell, through two grants from the National Oceanographic Partnership Program. view more
Credit: MODIS
Washington, DC – The National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), a collaboration of federal agencies providing leadership and coordination on national oceanographic research and education initiatives, has announced that it will fund a three year research project being led by scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Two separate research projects will focus on understanding the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and will be funded at nearly $600 thousand and $850 thousand.
"The research being conducted at the University of Miami is always on the cutting edge and we are proud that they will help further our understanding of one of our most vital resources, our oceans," said Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). "It is no surprise that the scientists at this great university have been entrusted to study what is a driving force for our climate and our very existence," continued Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen.
"The University of Miami's Rosenstiel School has been at the forefront of developing innovative approaches for the application of satellite remotely sensed observations and numerical models of ocean circulation to the integrated study of the Earth's oceans and atmosphere. We are pleased to see that these two projects have been competitively chosen for support. Their collaborations with government and industry scientists should advance our understanding of the impact of climate change on the ocean," said Dr. Otis Brown, Professor and Dean of the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
In August 2007, NOPP requested research proposals to study the meridional overturning circulation of the Atlantic Ocean, an element of the global scale ocean circulation responsible for long-term climate variations and has been identified as a key feature related to rapid or abrupt climate change.
Dr. Peter Minnett, a scientist with the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, will lead one of the research projects designed to analyze long time series of satellite data sets over the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. This research will enable better understanding of ocean circulation and its effect on climate and allow scientists to better predict circulation patterns in the future. In pursuit of this research, Minnett will work with scientists at Remote Sensing Systems.
Dr. George Haliwell, also a scientist with the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, will lead the other research project designed to determine the optimal observing strategies for monitoring the Atlantic meriodonal overturning circulation. This research will improve ocean observing capabilities and scientists' ability to accurately predict variations in climate and weather due to ocean current variations. In pursuit of this research, Haliwell will work with scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The National Oceanographic Partnership Program is a collaboration of federal agencies to provide leadership and coordination of national ocean research and education initiatives. NOPP facilitates interactions among federal agencies, academia and industry; increases visibility for ocean issues on the national agenda; and achieves a higher level of coordinated effort across the broad oceanographic community. For more information, please visit www.nopp.org.
Ocean Leadership is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization that represents 95 of the leading public and private ocean research education institutions, aquaria and industry with the mission to advance research, education and sound ocean policy. The organization also manages ocean research and education programs in areas of scientific ocean drilling, ocean observing, ocean exploration, and ocean partnerships.