Ocean Dynamics

Ocean Dynamics: Large scale ocean circulation

Ocean research with a significant seagoing component is performed under this research theme. It has a strong emphasis on subjects relevant to climate, and is mainly focused on large-scale circulation and hydrography. While in the recent past large-scale ocean dynamics was studied as a contribution to international research programmes like WOCE and OMEX, presently research programmes are carried out in the framework of the international programme CLIVAR aiming at the study of climate variability. In the period 2003-2008 seagoing activities are carried out mainly as part of the Dutch multi-institute Long-term Ocean Climate Observations (LOCO) programme with long-term moored sub-surface observations in the Irminger Sea, the Mozambique Channel and one of the Indonesian straits (as part of the multi-national INSTANT programme). Our partners in LOCO are the Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research of Utrecht University, and the oceanographic department of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute in De Bilt.
Another major activity is the bi-annual hydrographic survey of the former WOCE AR7E section. This regular survey forms a contribution to the monitoring of the North Atlantic Ocean within the framework of CLIVAR. It also gives a regular opportunity to train oceanography students from Utrecht University in observational techniques, and for scientists from other disciplines to carry out basin-wide observations. _______________