Understanding ocean circulation is key to understanding the climate system. The UCL research project OceanDataModels, led by Professor Sofia Olhede of UCL’s Centre for Data Science, has developed new analysis techniques for observation buoys known as drifters that record the motion of water particles at the ocean’s surface. The project, that employed researcher Dr Adam Sykulski, now at Lancaster University, built new models to describe the motion caused by the Earth’s rotation, as well as effects from tides, their counter-currents known as eddies, and water turbulence. These models can be used by oceanographers to track the movement of species, as well as climate change scientists trying to understand climate change.
The results in brief are now published on the EC community research and development website, and some of the data is publicly available from the global drifter program website.