Defense Date

12-4-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Name

Oceanography/Marine Biology

First Advisor

Alexander Soloviev, Ph.D

Second Advisor

Richard Dodge, Ph.D

Third Advisor

Bernhard Riegl, Ph.D

Fourth Advisor

Diego Castano, Ph.D

Fifth Advisor

William Venezia, Ph.D

Sixth Advisor

Brian Glover, Ph.D

Keywords

Oceanography, Surface Waves, Internal Waves, Glider, AUV, Magnetics, ADCP, CTD, in-situ measurements, numerical modeling

Abstract

This dissertation presents three studies aimed at advancing our understanding of the dynamics and processes of the ocean through laboratory and field experiments. The first study focuses on using a differential method, where the signal from one magnetometer is subtracted from the other to remove the geomagnetic noise both sensors would record simultaneously, to measure the magnetic signature of surface waves, using data from a laboratory experiment conducted at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science SUSTAIN facility. The results showed that magnetic signature was larger than expected based on traditional model predictions, suggesting that the magnetic permeability difference between water and air is an important factor that should be considered in future models. This study provides valuable insights into the electromagnetic signature of surface waves and contributes to the field of oceanography by advancing our ability to collect and process ocean data.

The second study investigates the electromagnetic signature of internal wave solitons using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) and total field magnetometers in the Florida Straits. By comparing the results with analytical and computational models, I aimed to capture and understand their magnetic characteristics. The study finds that the ANSYS Fluent Computational Fluid Dynamic Magnetohydrodynamic (CFD MHD) model effectively captures the magnetic signature within the observed soliton. However, improvements are needed outside the soliton region. In contrast, the simplified numerical model by Beal and Weaver (1975) exhibits a significant discrepancy, likely due to its inherent assumptions. These field results contribute to the classification of the electromagnetic properties of internal wave solitons and help in the validation of existing models.

The third and final study presents a field experiment of a Slocum G3 Glider in the Florida Straits, aiming to validate the data collected using the glider and comparing these measurements to a nearby mooring array. The glider was equipped with a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensor and an ADCP, and both instruments on the glider were compared for consistency with the moored data. The CTD measurements exhibited good consistency with the three CTD mooring strings. The application of LADCP data processing techniques in the glider ADCP experiments allowed for comparisons between the glider and moored velocity measurements. The LADCP measurements showed good reliability, allowing for validation of the previously untested technique in a strong western boundary current.

Overall, this dissertation highlights the significance of laboratory experiments, data processing techniques, and field observations in advancing our understanding of the ocean, validating model results, and providing validation to a useful data collection tool, which will allow for further development of 3D computational fluid dynamic models.

ORCID ID

0000-0002-3069-8409

Available for download on Monday, December 04, 2028

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