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About OAII |
D. Andrew Rothrock
Gary A. Maykut
University of Washington
Start Date: April 15, 1997
Expire: March 31, 2000 (Estimated)
Expected Total Amt.: $272,931 (Estimated)
Fld Science: Polar Programs, Climate Related Activities
Abstract:
This project involves the dual civilian-military use of a US Navy nuclear submarine for the multi-agency project SCICEX (Science Experiment). SCICEX researchers will use an upward looking sonar to examine the underside of the Arctic pack ice to determine the thickness variability of the ice in the Beaufort Sea. The thickness information will be gathered at the site of a large, interdisciplinary research project, Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic (SHEBA) Ocean. The variability of the ice thickness in conjunction with the ice, atmosphere, ocean measurements for SHEBA will be used to test a model that will allow the prediction of sea ice thickness from satellite measurements so that the results may be extrapolated to the entire Arctic Ocean. The project is a very important contribution to a wide array of research efforts to determine if a proposed global warming will affect the Arctic ice pack thickness and distribution. Global Circulation Models suggest that the ice pack may not be a permanentfeature and this project will provide measurements that are necessary to validate and improve the models.
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