Monitoring the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

Oceans 2025 Theme 10, RAPID II - Western Atlantic Variability Experiment (WAVE)

There is currently high international interest in possible change of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation and its potential importance for northern European climate. This is reflected by the NERC RAPID programme, largely dedicated to the development of a system for monitoring the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC). A submission to NERC for a RAPID 2 programme, to ensure continuation of this work, is to be considered in parallel with this strategic science bid. To make best use of the RAPID 2 resources, and to ensure that the NERC Centres are well aligned with these priority activities, it is appropriate that Category 1 strategic funding is also used to support the data-gathering components of the project. The POL contribution is closely linked to the NOC MOC work in SO 3, but with a different geographic focus.

The Western Atlantic Variability Experiment (WAVE) array consists of 6 Bottom Pressure Recorders (BPRs) and 5 temperature/salinity moorings at each of three sections across the US and Canadian continental slope between Cape Cod and the Grand Banks. The section near to Cape Cod is the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute-led Station W section, for which all but the BPRs and some additional T-S sensors are supplied by WHOI with National Science Foundation funding. The array was initially deployed in 2004, was recovered and re-deployed in 2006 and then subsequently at 2-year intervals.

Team

Rory Bingham
Peter Foden
Geoff Hargreaves
Chris Hughes
Steve Mack
Miguel Angel Morales Maqueda
Jeff Pugh