Division of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography MPO

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Division of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography
(MPO)
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science
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MPOs Research Mission
OBSERVATION
THEORY
MODELING
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Areas of Research Activities
REMOTESENSING
SEA-GOING PROGRAMS
METEOROLOGY
MODELING
Satellite Oceanography
Mooring Group
Tropical Climate Variability
Ocean GCM
Process Studies
Radar Oceanography
Lagrangian Studies
Air-Sea Interaction
Cloud Doppler Radar Studies
Hydrographic Surveys
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
Clouds Precipitation
Instrument Development
Ground-based Wind Profiling
Mesoscale Dynamics
Hurricanes
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Mooring Group
The Mooring Group deploys instruments for long
term (1 to 5 years) observations of current
and/or water mass variability at several depths.
Much of what we know about slow oceanic
variability derives from such instruments.
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Lagrangian Studies
The time-varying ocean circulation and its
property dispersal is perhaps best studied using
floats (sub-surface) and drifters (surface). Some
modern floats measure vertical profiles of
temperature and salinity as they re-surface
periodically to telemeter their data to
satellites.
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Hydrography
Recent Hydrographic Transects
The in situ observation of ocean temperature and
salinity and water-sampling for chemical analysis
during oceanographic cruises has been the
mainstay of physical oceanography throughout its
history. More recently hull- mounted and
over-the-side sonars have also made it possible
to measure continuous and full-depth ocean
velocity from research ships.
salinity
velocity
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Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

• Vortex Dynamics
• Predictability

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Instrument Development
Recent developments in observing technology have
facilitated an explosive advancement in awareness
of the scope and nature of atmospheric and
oceanic variability. Illustrated here are a cloud
observing instrument trailer with deployed cloud
radar, a McLane ocean profiler, and an Acoustic
Doppler Current Profiler (buoy mounted).
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In-Situ Observations
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C-F Eastern Site
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Unique Observing Platforms
F. G. Walton Smith
Royal Caribbean Explorer Of The Seas
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Atmospheric Modeling
Modeling of hurricane track and intensity is a
major research area at MPO. High-powered
computers can numerically simulate days of the
storms life in a few hours. High resolution
models are being used to study vortex evolution.
Vortex Simulation
Hurricane Floyd
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Ocean Modeling
- Innovations in numerical modeling of ocean
dynamics has long been a central concern at
RSMAS, leading to the development of MICOM, the
Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model and HYCOM,
the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model.
- Recently, the ocean modeling group has focused
on the development of HYCOM which is part of a
consortium for data-assimilative modeling. The
primary purpose of the consortium is the
establishment of a global real-time ocean
forecast system based on HYCOM, with
sophisticated data assimilation techniques that
can be efficiently executed on massively parallel
computers.
A sample of model results for the North Atlantic
Ocean sea surface height.
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Air-Sea Interaction
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Storm
-1 Day
The impact of a hurricane passage through the
Gulf of Mexico on ocean surface temperature over
a three day period is shown, based in part
on satellite data, and in part on probes dropped
from a passing airplane. The potential impact of
such changes on storm evolution is an active
focus of research.
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Targeted Observations
Targeted Observations (satellite data,
aircraft-borne GPS dropwindsondes, unmanned
observing platforms)
Data Assimilation (variational, ensemble-based)
Ensemble forecasting and predictability in
mid-latitudes and tropics
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Satellite Oceanography
Meteorology and Physical Oceanography
A spring time temperature map for the North
Atlantic produced by the Satellite Oceanography
Group at RSMAS. This group has been long devoted
to the production of accurate satellite
based property mapping, and remains
leading contributor to the national effort in
this area. In situ verification is a major
component of this effort.
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Radar Oceanography
Our Air-Sea Interaction group operates an Ocean
Surface Current Radar system which provides high
resolution surface current data based on the
Doppler shift of surface radio backscatter. It
allows detailed studies Of transient current
variability at near Coastal sites. Shown is the
surface velocity pattern between the Gulf Stream
edge an a section of the Florida Keys which
illustrates near shore eddying of the boundary
currents.
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Radar Meteorology
The study of cloud structure and dynamics are at
the forefront of research in MPO through use of a
94 GHz cloud radar and 915 MHz wind profiler.
Structure of mammatus clouds observed in anvil
cloud generated by convection over South Florida.
Reflectivity/vertical air motion observed
from the cloud radar in an updraft region of a
convective cell.
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Clouds and Precipitation
The study of cloud dynamics in tropical settings
is a recently revitalized research area, relevant
to problems from tropical climate sensitivity to
hurricane structure.
A millimeter wavelength cloud radar shows the
structure for both high level cirrus and low
level cumulus clouds while the wind profiler
depicts the varying makeup of hurricane Irene
during the fall of 1999.
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Climate Variability

• E. Chassignet
• A. Clement
• G. Halliwell
• K. Leaman
• T. Lee
• D. Olson
• C. Rooth
• C. Zhang

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Tropical Meteorology
The mechanisms that lead to the development and
evolution of El Nino are an area of ongoing
research in tropical meteorology, as are improved
observations from hurricane hunter aircraft such
as the NOAA P-3.