Subproject 2 (SP2): Interannual variability of wind driven upwelling and of warm events off Namibia

SP2 investigates the physics of upwelling and warm events in the Northern Benguela upwelling system.

Goals:

• Enhance knowledge on frequency and intensity of historic Benguela warm events from a retrospective analysis of long-term atmospheric time series. Develop a climate index for the wind forced Northern Benguela upwelling (collaboration with SP3, SP4).

• Contribute to the sparse long-term ocean observation system in South Eastern Boundary Currents.

• Understand the typical anomalies in the baroclinic flow pattern during Benguela warm events and the physical and ecosystem response to temporal and spatial anomalies in the local wind stress pattern as observed on the interannual time scale (collaboration with SP3, SP4).

• Understand adjustment of locally wind driven flow pattern and remotely driven coastally trapped waves in the Kunene upwelling cell to planetary vorticity dynamics.

• Take part in three research cruises (GEOMAR, IOW) in order to maintain the long-term moorings at 23°S and 18°S and install additional ADCP at 23°S to cover the full surface Ekman layer.

Team:

Principal Investigators:
Dr. Martin Schmidt, IOW, Rostock, Germany
Dr. Volker Mohrholz, IOW, Rostock, Germany
Dr. Claudia Frauen, IOW, Rostock, Germany

PostDoc:
Dr. Fernanda Nascimento, IOW, Rostock, Germany

Associated Staff:
Toralf Heene, IOW, Rostock, Germany
Sebastian Beier, IOW, Rostock, Germany