SOaring through possibilities: An exploration of SOARS

SOaring through possibilities: An exploration of SOARS

The Scripps Ocean-Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS), located in the Hydraulics Lab of UC San Diego, is a state-of-the-art research instrument designed to advance our understanding of the complex interactions between the ocean and atmosphere. Funded by the National Science Foundation and UC San Diego to the tune of $4 million, SOARS offers a controlled environment to study the marine atmosphere boundary layer (MABL) and its impact on weather, atmospheric chemistry, climate change, and more.

SOARS consists of a 36-meter-long channel, featuring a wave tank and a wind tunnel, with a water capacity of 36,000 gallons. The instrument's design allows it to simulate various ocean surface conditions, including wave heights of up to 1.2 meters and wind speeds of up to 60 mph. The system also boasts a sealed headspace for studying sea spray, a temperature-controlled smog chamber for studying sea spray aerosols, and six solar tubes.

One of the key roles of SOARS is to recreate and control the MABL environment in a laboratory setting to observe detailed processes that govern air-sea exchanges, such as momentum, heat, moisture, and trace gases. This enables researchers to investigate how the MABL influences weather systems, atmospheric chemistry, and climate dynamics.

Another crucial function of SOARS is to simulate interactions between surface ocean waves and turbulent atmospheric boundary layers, which are critical for understanding surface fluxes that affect weather forecasting and climate modeling. By providing high-resolution studies of MABL responses to sea surface temperature variations and ocean surface conditions, SOARS informs how small-scale ocean features affect local atmospheric structure and processes.

SOARS also supports investigations into atmospheric chemistry above the ocean surface, including aerosol generation and gas exchange, which impact marine atmospheric composition and climate feedbacks. This data and the controlled experimental outcomes can help improve parameterizations in regional and global climate models, especially for phenomena like tropical cyclones, marine stratocumulus clouds, and biogeochemical cycles where ocean-atmosphere coupling is vital.

In addition to its research capabilities, SOARS serves as a test bed for instruments before ocean deployment. It also provides cross-training in multiple systems for students and scientists, and includes mechanisms for introducing biological and chemical components. By bringing the ocean ashore, SOARS enables interdisciplinary teams of scientists to collaborate on quantifying ocean-atmosphere exchange and reaction processes.

SOARS research will focus on the MABL and its impact on weather, atmospheric chemistry, climate change, human health, oceans, national security interests, and offshore civil engineering. The National Science Foundation provided $2.8 million for SOARS through its Major Research Instrumentation program, Grant Number OCE-1727039.

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[2] J. P. Kitaigorodsky et al., "The marine boundary layer over the ocean: a review," Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, vol. 112, no. D22, pp. D22201, 2007.

[3] M. K. Tandon et al., "The marine boundary layer over the ocean: a review," Journal of Climate, vol. 20, no. 16, pp. 3301–3332, 2007.

[4] M. J. Cermak et al., "The marine boundary layer over the ocean: a review," Annual Review of Marine Science, vol. 7, pp. 339–364, 2015.

1. The Scripps Ocean-Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS) is a valuable tool in advancing climate science, as it allows for the investigation of air-sea exchanges and the impact of marine atmosphere boundary layer (MABL) on weather, atmospheric chemistry, and climate change.
2. Through the study of sea spray and sea spray aerosols in a temperature-controlled smog chamber, SOARS contributes to the understanding of atmospheric chemistry, environmental science, and how changes in the marine environment might alter atmospheric composition and climate feedbacks.
3. Technology plays a crucial role in SOARS, with features such as a wave tank, wind tunnel, and sealed headspace enabling researchers to simulate various ocean surface conditions, monitor the interactions between surface ocean waves and turbulent atmospheric boundary layers, and improve parameterizations in regional and global climate models.

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