EMBRACE-OCE-Seed: Variability and trends in Agulhas Current water mass properties

NSF Award Search · 01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $199,999 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

The Agulhas Current is western boundary current of the South Indian Ocean subtropical gyre. Due to its strong, warm, and salty flow, the Agulhas dominates the Indian Ocean heat and freshwater budgets. Variability in the Agulhas Current impacts regional weather over Southern Africa and can alter global climate through the transport of warm and salty waters to the Atlantic Ocean, which impacts the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. Under climate change, the Indian Ocean has warmed rapidly while the Agulhas Current has broadened and cooled, while maintaining a constant volume transport. This suggests that the full depth structure of the temperature, salinity, and velocity of the current need to be considered to understand ongoing changes. The goal of this project is to quantify the variability and changes in transports of different water masses within the Agulhas Current from six high-accuracy repeat hydrographic crossings that occurred over 1987-2023. This analysis will also serve as a framework for understanding changes that may occur in other western boundary currents, such as the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio. The student-led Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) workshop at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will be supported, and a graduate student will be trained. The graduate student will participate in the GRFP workshop and submit a fellowship application under mentorship from the principal investigator. Diagnosing changes to the heat and freshwater fluxes

Key facts

NSF award ID
2409411
Awardee
University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus (AK)
SAM.gov UEI
FDLEQSJ8FF63
PI
Kay McMonigal
Primary program
01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
EMBRACE, EXP PROG TO STIM COMP RES
Estimated total
$199,999
Funds obligated
$199,999
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
09/01/2025 → 08/31/2027