Maps of Observational Coverage

Theme 5: Understanding and quantifying the state and variability of the Southern Ocean - sea ice - atmosphere fluxes

The below maps are representing the current observational coverage to address the SOOS Key Challenges for the SOOS Science Theme 5, understanding and quantifying the state and variability of Southern Ocean - sea ice - atmosphere fluxes. All SOOS Science Themes and Key Challenges are outlined in the SOOS 2021-2025 Science and Implementation Plan.

The geographic boundaries for the blocks in these maps are the sub-regions identified by each Regional Working Group to enable easier discussion and communication requirements, coverage and gaps for their region.

Key Challenge 5.1: Increase air-sea flux observations with emphasis on:

• Varying conditions imposed by wind patterns, storms and sea state

• Regions and times (winter) of high uncertainty in reanalysis products

• Areas covered by sea ice and influenced by polynyas/leads

Key Challenge 5.2: Improve satellite-derived air-sea flux measurement capabilities:

• Develop reliable retrievals of ocean-sea ice-atmosphere turbulent heat fluxes, especially in high winds and sea state

• Improve freshwater flux retrievals for regions with variable ice-induced freshwater inputs

Key Challenge 5.3: Decrease uncertainty in atmosphere and ocean dynamics and boundary-layer thermodynamic processes, aiding improvements in weather and climate models, including ocean waves, ocean mixed-layer turbulence, atmospheric boundary layer physics, cloud condensation nuclei and ice nucleating particles

Key Challenge 5.4: Constrain variability in Southern Ocean carbonate system and ocean-atmosphere CO2 fluxes over seasonal and annual temporal scales

Key Challenge 5.5: Assess the spatial, seasonal and interannual distribution of essential climate variables in the sea ice impacted Southern Ocean (e.g., the marginal sea ice zone) to decrease uncertainty of ocean-sea ice-atmosphere fluxes of biogeochemical and physical properties

Key Challenge 5.6: Evaluate the contribution that seasonal variability of sea ice makes to heat budgets, considering turbulent fluxes at the ocean-sea ice-atmosphere interface

Key Challenge 5.7: Increase spatial and temporal coverage of measurements of the ocean-sea ice-atmosphere fluxes of climate relevant gases other than CO2 (e.g., N2O, CH4 , DMS, halogens, Isoprene)

Theme 5: Understanding and quantifying the state and variability of the Southern Ocean - sea ice - atmosphere fluxes

This map is the mean of the rankings across all challenges (above) within Theme 5.

Raw values for rankings in maps of observational coverage for Theme 5 is available here.