Effect of the surface wind stress parameterization on ocean circulation
This is a suggestion for a Degree Project for Bachelor's and Master's levels at the Department of Marine Sciences. Degree projects at the Department of Marine Sciences are done independently and must be written and assessed individually.
Subject: Oceanography
Level and length: Bachelor’s (15hp) or Master’s (45-60 hp) thesis project
Supervisor: Anis Elyouncha
Co-supervisor: Göran Broström
Project background
Surface wind stress is the primary driver of ocean surface circulation and plays a central role in shaping large-scale currents, upwelling, and the distribution of ocean tracers such as temperature and salinity.
In numerical ocean models, wind stress cannot be prescribed directly but is instead parameterized using bulk formulae that relate atmospheric variables (e.g., wind speed, air density) to the resulting stress at the ocean surface.
However, different parameterizations can yield different results: some include the influence of surface gravity waves, while others neglect them. The extent to which these differences impact modeled ocean circulation and tracer distributions is not fully understood.
Clarifying this issue is crucial for improving model simulations and for better representing ocean-atmosphere feedbacks in climate models.
Project description
This project will use the MIT General Circulation Model (MITgcm) to investigate the effect of different wind stress parameterizations on ocean circulation.
The student will:
- Implement and compare several bulk formulae for surface wind stress, including those that incorporate surface wave effects.
- Quantify the influence of these parameterizations on ocean circulation, temperature, and salinity distributions.
- Assess how changes in surface forcing feed back onto the atmosphere, with a particular focus on upwelling regions where wind–ocean interactions are strongest.
- Highlight the role of surface gravity waves in shaping air–sea coupling processes.
The project offers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with a state-of-the-art ocean circulation model, data analysis tools, and the physical processes underlying air–sea interaction.
Skills required
- Basic knowledge of physical oceanography and/or atmospheric dynamics.
- Experience with numerical modeling (MITgcm or similar models is an advantage).
- Programming skills in Python and/or MATLAB for data analysis and visualization.
- Ability to work with Linux/Unix environments and run computational simulations.
Contact
Anis Elyouncha, Researcher
E-mail: anis.elyouncha@gu.se